JICA partners Medico-Legal Society in creating awareness on addressing sexual bribery

The Medico-Legal Society in collaboration with JICA, held the Professor M. S. L. Salgado 3rd Memorial Oration on the topic of Sexual and Gender based Violence in Sri Lanka on 16 February, followed by the Symposium and Annual Scientific Sessions 2024 on Sexual Bribery and Criminal Justice on 17 February.

The oration was delivered by University of Kelaniya Chief Professor of English Senior Professor Maithree Wickramasinghe, who spoke of the interdisciplinary, intersectional and integrated perspectives of sexual and gender-based violence. Medico-Legal Society President Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, PC, and JICA Sri Lanka Office Senior Representative Ide Yuri, also addressed the audience of over 250.

The symposium also drew an audience of over 150, with eminent speakers including Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, PC, Senior Additional Solicitor General, Ayesha Jinasena, PC, Sankhitha Gunaratne, AAL, Executive Director of Transparency International Sri Lanka, DIG Renuka Jayasundara, Children & Women’s Abuse Prevention Range, Dr. Chittahari Abayanayake, Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist from the National Hospital of Kandy, Chethiya Goonasekera, PC, Commissioner of the Commission for investigating allegations of bribery or corruption (CIABOC), and Namal Ralapanawe, AAL, Senior Specialist, JICA Sri Lanka Office.

It was possibly the first time the topic of Sexual Bribery was brought into the public discourse at a public forum. It was brought to the notice of the participants that the available data indicated that Sexual Bribery was prevalent in Sri Lanka, but complaints are made only very rarely, due to several concerns including those of social stigma and trust in the law enforcement authorities. However, the new Anti-Corruption Act, not only specifically defines “Sexual Favours” as one of the categories of corruption, but also includes provisions to provide protection to informants and whistleblowers, under which the victims could be covered, and their identity withheld. Therefore, further awareness creation on the measures that CIABOC has taken to ensure the protection of victims, could encourage the victims to lodge complaints so that action can be taken against the perpetrators.

The audience comprised of members of the legal and medical sectors, including Justices of the Superior Courts, Judges of the High Courts, Prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Department and CIABOC, the Police and other law enforcement authorities as well as medical and science professionals.