Tarkwa, Jan 11, GNA - Dr Freda Paintsil, a medical officer at the Tarkwa Government Hospital, has spoken against an increase in defilement in the Wassa West District and said the hospital treats four defilement cases daily.

''What is worrying is that most of these victims, who are not more than 10 years old, prove having had sexual intercourse before and this suggests that a lot of defilement cases are settled out of court,'' she told the GNA in an interview.

She said these cases are settled at home because those involved might either be church members or relatives of influential people in the communities.

Dr Paintsil said men who indulge in such acts should be reported to the police for prosecution.

She appealed to chiefs, pastors, imams and opinion leaders to speak against the practice to spare the young ones from contracting sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS.