Freetown — Officer-in-Charge of Family Support Unit (FSU) in Kenema, Esther Kamara yesterday stated that medical doctors at the Kenema Government Hospital were charging huge sum of money to conduct medical examinations for physically-assaulted women.

She said all of the physically-assaulted victims were issued with medical forms to the government hospital only to return without the necessary treatment because of the amount charged by the doctors. "The victims prefer to drop the matter instead of paying Le 30,000 to the medical doctors", Kamara asserted.

In an interview with Concord Times at the Kenema Police Station, Kamara said this latest development has paved the way for more husbands in the region to increase the violent attacks on their women and hindering their efforts.

"Sexual violence is gradually reducing as we have embarked on a serious community sensitization campaign. Even the traditional authorities are cooperating with us as they report most cases of such nature to us," she said.

"We have raised concern over this development as it undermines the good effort of the FSU in combating domestic violence in the region," she said adding that pupils in various secondary schools in the district are also complaining that teachers levy severe punishment on them which violates their rights.

She highlights that they have developed a working plan for 2007 requires their visiting communities wherever they notice a high rate of domestic violence.