Stung Treng provincial court on Tuesday charged a 41-year-old man with raping his 16-year-old daughter, after a complaint was filed by the victim’s mother.

Pien Peuy, deputy chief of the provincial Anti-human Trafficking and Juvenile Protection office, said yesterday that Yoem Heng was first investigated on domestic abuse allegations filed to police by his wife on

January 13. The alleged assault of the suspect’s daughter, said Pien Peuy, was “revealed during questioning”.

“After raping his daughter, the father would threaten her not to tell anyone, especially the mother,” he said.

According to Pien Peuy, the victim was assaulted on four separate occasions, during the last of which he was disturbed by his wife.

Hou Sam Ol, provincial monitor for the rights group Adhoc, said the victim’s mother was initially hesitant to file a complaint.

“The father is absolutely stupid ... and the mother does not want to reveal the scandal,” said Hou Sam Ol. “It’s bad for their reputation.”

Chea Pich, deputy provincial prosecutor, said the suspect was being detained in the provincial prison while investigations are ongoing.