At least 3,852 children sexually abused in 2021, report reveals

Most cases of abuse reported in Punjab as it topped the list with 2,464 incidents

LAHORE:

At least 3,852 children – 2,068 girls and 1,784 boys -- were sexually abused across Pakistan in 2021, revealed Sahil, an NGO working against child abuse, in a report titled ‘Cruel Number’.

According to the data shared by the organisation, at least 10 children were abused every day through 2021.

The categories used by the NGO included abduction (1,060 cases); rape (410 cases); sodomy (483 cases); gang rape (146 cases); and gang sodomy (234 cases). At least 22 boys and 18 girls were murdered after sexual abuse whereas at least 10 boys and three girls were murdered after gang sodomy and rape, said the report. 

At least 438 children were found missing from their homes. There were 58 cases of early child marriage and seven cases of Vani. Vani is a 400-year-old tradition, this practise was initially used to settle feuds between tribes. Later, tribal elders called for jirgas in which girls were declared Vani.

Read Schoolteacher held for 'sexually assaulting' minor girl in Rawalpindi

The NGO's report further stated that acquaintance with the victim and the victim’s family topped the list of perpetrators of child sexual abuse. The statics showed that out of a total of 3,852 cases, there were at least 1,715 cases where the abusers had acquaintance with victims or the victim’s families.

At least 289 cases were reported in which strangers were involved in abusing children.

Age-wise breakdown

At least 223 children were aged 0-5 years; at least 821 were aged 6-10 years; at least 1,320 were aged between 11-15; whereas 460 were aged 16-18 years. There were 1028 cases in which the age of victims was not mentioned in news reports, said the report. 

At least 447 children were abused in their own places, 1,715 were abused at acquaintances’ places, 23 children in havelis, 49 children in madrasa; 35 children at workplaces, and 643 children in public places including fields, streets, graveyards, canals and jungles.

Province-wise breakdown

In Punjab, at least 2,464 children, including 150 in Lahore, were sexually abused; in Sindh, at least 885 children were abused; at least 47 children were abused in Balochistan; in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, at least 195 children were assaulted. In Gilgit-Baltistan, one child was abused while in Azad Jammu Kashmir, at least 13 children were abused.

At least 247 children were abused in the federal areas.

The NGO report also stated that at least 3,217 incidents were reported to respective police stations. However, 48 cases were not and police did not register cases in 36 incidents. At least 333 cases were reported in newspapers with incomplete information.

In order to curb the menace of sexual abuse, the NGO also gave five recommendations. It called for an effective awareness campaign for the protection of children from this evil besides introducing new legislation, where necessary and making sure the implementation of enforced enactments.

It also urged the government for a comprehensive rehabilitation/support system for the victims of abuse. The protection messages should be included in the curriculum, it said, adding that a “Provincial Plan of Action against Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation” should be provided as well.