Quran Teacher Arrested for Relations with Girl



(Filladhoo, Maldives) A 19-year-old Quran teacher has been accused of engaging in a relationship with a 13-year-old girl after being caught with the girl in a room at the girl's grandmother's house.

Police Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam confirmed that the teacher was arrested on Monday night and was in police custody.

A Filladhoo islander told Minivan News that the teacher was a temporary Islam and Quran teacher who had been working at Filladhoo school for two months.

Notably, Maldives statistics indicate that 12 percent of the girls under 15 years of age have been sexually abused, many by teachers and religious leaders.

[Add.] Interestingly, in a previous report on child abuse in Sunni Muslim Maldives, sexual abuse of children is not only prevalent but also increasing. Furthermore, it wasn't until 2008 that a law was passed making child sexual abuse a crime deserving jail as punishment.

On the other hand, it's disturbing to note that child molesters and rapists are seldom prosecuted in the Maldives. Inexplicably, child sexual abuse is largely tolerated.