American Samoa's Governor, Togiola Tulafono, wants to increase penalties for those convicted of child sexual abuse.
Speaking in his weekly radio programme, the governor said that sexual abuse of a child was nothing less than killing the child and that such offences robbed the young of all dignity.
He said the administration plans to submit to the Fono a bill that would provide for a life sentence without possibility of parole.
Our correspondent in Pago Pago, Monica Miller, says this isn't the first time the governor has raised the issue:
"The rate of sexual crime victimising children is on the increase and I do believe he is going to follow this through. Certainly in the court stories that we've covered, not a week goes by without a case."
Our correspondent in Pago Pago, Monica Miller
