In New Delhi, India, as reported by the Tribune News Service, a 37-year-old man was sentenced to seven years of "rigorous" imprisonment and Rs 1000 for having sex with a minor - a 15-year-old.

The defendant claimed that that the girl had consented to have sex, but the court made it clear that the 15-year-old was not competent to consent, and even though the sexual act was done with her consent the defendant had taken advantage of her immaturity. He was guilty of rape of a minor.

In Guyana a grown man, allegedly abducts a 13-year-old girl, a child, with whom he had had sex. Yet society stands still and the authorities seem reluctant to take action while the shattered mother, alone and helpless fights her way through the courts to get her child back. My God, what have we become?

Where is our morality? How can we let this happen?

If we take a closer look among us we will see that every family has a girl child 13, 14 or 15 years old, a daughter, granddaughter or a niece.

Take a good look at her. Would you allow a grown man to entice her away and have sex with her?

If we want a better tomorrow for ourselves and our children, then today we must take a stand for right against wrong, good against evil.

Let the courts act now. And if necessary, let the lawmakers amend the laws to safeguard the rights of our children.

All of us, individuals as well as organizations must send a clear message that no one messes with our children.

Yours faithfully,

Shawn Mangru