XN000022-1975-10-23 — Page 10

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1975

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TOUGHER PENALTIES URGED FOR SEX OFFENDLÄS

EXISTING PENALTIES NO DETERRENT, SAYS MISS HO STU-WAH

X X X X X X X

STIFFER PENALTIES AGAINST SEX OFFENDERS AND MORE FREQUENT AND ENERGETIC ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW RELATING TO SEX CRIMES, WERE ADVOCATED TODAY BY THE HON. KO STU-WAH.

+ IT IS NOW TIME FOR US TO RE-EXAMINE SOME OF THE LEGISLATION CONCERNING SEXUAL OFFENCES AND THE PROTECTION OF WOMEN AND JUVENILES,+ SHE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.

EXISTING PENALTIES FOR SOME SEXUAL OFFENCES DID NOT SERVE AS EFFECTIVE DETERRENTS, SHE SAID, CITING EXISTING PROVISIONS RELATING TO THE DEFILEMENT OF GIRLS UNDER 13. AND THOSE DETWEEN 13 AND 16, AS WELL AS UNLAWFUL DETENTION OF FEMALES AND RESTRICTIONS ON EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS ON LICENSED PREMISES.

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AT PRESENT, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY FOR ATTEMPT OF CARNAL KNOWLEDGE OF A GIRL UNDER 13 OR DETWEEN 13 AND 16 YEARS OLD IS TWO YEARS' IMPRISONMENT THE SAME FOR THE OFFENCE OF DETAINING A FEMALE AGAINST HER WILL. FOR OFFENCES RELATING TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG PERSONS ON LICENSED PREMISES, THE MAXIMUM PENALTY IS A FINE OF $5,000 AND IMPRISONMENT FOR SIX MONTHS.

MISS KO SAID 899 SEXUAL OFFENCES WERE DETECTED BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 1974 AND AUGUST 1975, BUT SHE BELIEVED THAT MANY SIMILAR OFFENCES WERE NOT REPORTED BECAUSE THEY WERE COMMITTED AGAINST YOUNG GIRLS WHO WERE AFRAID TO REPORT THE CRIME OR WHOSE PARENTS DID NOT WANT TO REPORT THEM FOR FEAR OF FURTHER HUMILIATION AND DAMAGED REPUTATION.

SHE ALSO NOTED THAT IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS ABOUT 3,000 GIRLS HAVE BEEN REPORTED MISSING, OVER 50 PER CENT OF WHOM WERE UNDER THE AGE OF 16. SOME OF THEM WERE NOT LOCATED NOR RETURNED HOME. +WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT MANY OF THESE GIRLS BECOME HOSTESSES IN MUSIC PARLOURS, BARS AND OTHER ESTABLISHMENTS OF ILL-REPUTE, SHE SAID. WE ARE ALSO AWARE THAT MANY OF THESE GIRLS ARE PHYSICALLY DETAINED BY CRIMINALS AND FORCED TO WORK IN SUCH PLACES.+

MISS KO WELCOMED THE GOVERNMENT'S INTENTION TO INTRODUCE A NEW BILL CONCERNING PENALTIES FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AND SHE HOPED THAT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WOULD CONSIDER POINTS RAISED BY HER.

MISS KO ALSO ASKED IF THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY PLANS TO INTRODUCE LEGISLATION RESTRICTING THE ADMISSION OF CHILDREN TO CINEMA SCREENINGS OF FILMS CLASSIFIED AS "UNSUITABLE FOR CHILDREN''

/SHE NOTED

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