|
By Shree Ann Mathavan
AT 14, she had sex for the first time with a man who was 13 years older.
Barely six months into the relationship, Linda (not her real name) found out she was pregnant after months of unprotected sex.
To make matters worse, she found out that her boyfriend was cheating on her with another woman.
The fallout?
Nervous breakdowns, a painful break-up and an abortion at a private clinic during her fourth week of pregnancy.
'The abortion was really painful.
'It's like murder in a way. There are couples who want kids and here you are getting rid of a baby.'
Before the abortion, she had broken up with her boyfriend because he was unfaithful.
Even though she told him that she would be aborting the baby, he didn't try to stop her.
Wishing to put her painful experience behind, Linda decided not to turn him in for statutory rape.
Her boyfriend was 27 at that time. Under the law, girls aged below 14 are considered victims of statutory rape.
Under the penal code, it is an offence for anyone to have sex with a person under16.
If convicted, the person can be jailed up to 10 years, or fined, or both. Those who have sex with anyone under the age of 14 face up to 20 years and a fine or caning.
Statistics from the police showed that in the first half of this year, statutory rape cases involving girls under 14 jumped more than 70 per cent to 37 cases, compared to 21 cases in the same period last year.
There have also been several high-profile cases involving adults having sex with youngsters.
Said Linda: 'Even though I was underaged then, I didn't report the guy because I didn't want my parents to know. Even to this day, I have not told them anything. I don't want to cause them any pain.'
| 
