Child rape cases in Afghanistan shock

KABUL, Afghanistan, Aug. 8 (UPI) -- Rapes of boys and girls and other forms of violence against children go mostly unpunished in war-torn Afghanistan, says a U.N. official.

"In many cases of violence against children, there is a sense of impunity. People continue to violate children's rights without any sense of feeling that they will be held accountable," says Radhika Coomaraswamy, U.N. special representative for children in armed conflict, CNN reported.

She said she plans to release a report in October, following up on her trip to Afghanistan to set up a monitoring and reporting system on the violations committed against children.

Coomaraswamy said war and violence have destroyed Afghanistan's administrative infrastructure, making it difficult for the government to act alone.

An official with the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan told CNN women and young girls, in particular, are the least protected people in Afghanistan.

"With criminals and warlords in the political scene, we cannot expect justice to be served," said the official, who goes by the name of Shaima.

She said family members of a 12-year-old girl who was gang raped vowed to commit suicide if justice is not served.

Coomaraswamy says sexual violence against young boys includes forcing boys to dress in female attire, dance and perform sexual acts, the report said.