The Child and Women Abuse Prevention Division says that many women who are seen begging on the streets of Colombo with small children, are drug addicts..

With publicity given on YouTube channels and Facebook to female beggars with small children, there is a tendency for many women to turn to this path, claims DIG Renuka Jayasundara, the Chief of Police in charge of the Child and Women Abuse Prevention Division.

She points out that this also inconveniences drivers stopping at traffic lights.

A report by the ‘Aruna’ newspaper further notes :

It is also said that some YouTube channels have also published videos on helping such women with the intention of becoming more popular.

DIG Jayasundara claims that the more help they receive, the higher the tendency of them getting more addicted to drugs.

Noting that this has also raised serious concerns on child protection, DIG Jayasundara further notes that the children of such women are mostly malnourished.

Some are even addicted to drugs, she added.

The Child and Women Abuse Prevention Division further says that due to drug addiction, at least one new face tends to turn to street begging every day.

(Source : Aruna)