The government will put stringent measures to the perpetrators of rape and defilement, according to the report from the Ministry of Youth and Children.

The government’s reaction is in response to the 2010 police report that has indicated that defilement and rape are one of the most common cases reported to police in 2010.

The report indicates that 7,564 girls were defiled while 709 women were raped in 2010.

The Ministry for Youth and Children has proposed supplying pepper spray to women prone to rape as one of the measures.

Ronald Kibule the Minister for Youth and Children says he will talk to other responsible organs like police to see the viability of arming the women with pepper spray.

The minister says the government will not sit while the mothers of the nation are suffering in the hands of the wild men.

He explains that apart from the trauma that continues haunting the victims of rape and defilement, the vice exposes the women and young girls to contagious diseases like HIV/AIDS and other Sexually transmitted Diseases.

The police have also welcomed the idea of equipping the women with pepper spray. The Police spokesperson, Judith Nabakooba, however, says that there is need of sensitizing the women before the exercise commences.

Nabakooba says that some women may use the spray as a weapon to attack their co-wives if sensitization is not carried out first.

Some people have also declined the idea of supplying the pepper spray saying the defilers, rapists and other wrong people will use the same stuff to attack their suspecting victims.

In a related development, President Museveni has of recent proposed that the bail law be amended such that suspects of rape and defilement among others are remanded for not less than six months.

Some women rights activists have also been asking government to pass a law of castrating the rapists and defilers.

By Issa Asuman