things dont get worse than this.


Pregnant teen with HIV flees home

Published on July 27, 2005

A 17-year-old girl who became pregnant and infected with HIV after she was gang raped in February has run away from home.

Her case was cited as part of a provincial effort to shine the light on sexual harassment of women and minors.

In the past six months, 59 sexual assaults on girls aged between 12 and 18 were recorded, said Praphakorn Samiti, governor of Chaiyaphum.

A child protection official, Sanit Jongpho, said the girl had been raped by four men in Muang district on February 19. Her attackers remain at large.

Authorities later learned the victim tried to kill herself and that doctors had saved her. Medical staff at the hospital found she was two months pregnant and HIV positive, Sanit said.

The court then granted her permission to have an abortion.

Since the rape, the girl had started drinking heavily and reportedly started having unprotected sex with strangers. Authorities fear she may spread the disease.

She was committed by to a mental rehabilitation centre but was released two weeks ago to return to her family. But she has run away, possibly upon learning about her HIV contraction, he said.

The governor and the child protection board had asked police to locate the girl.

The Nation

CHAIYAPHUM
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