Normalising abuse

There is something deeply wrong with how easily Pakistan has learned to absorb horrific news. Sahil, an organisation working towards developing an environment free from child abuse and neglect, has recently released figures revealing that 3,630 cases of child abuse were reported in 2025 which is an 8 per cent rise from the year before. This travesty has somehow landed in the news cycle with barely a ripple, highlighting how disturbingly normal such violence has become in our society.

For many Pakistanis, stories of abused or murdered children briefly trend on social media before disappearing from public attention. Each case sparks outrage for a few days and then everyone goes back to their own lives. This cycle of outrage and complacency is unfortunately a major reason for why cases of child abuse refuse to go down. Until and unless the public demands justice and the criminals are not allowed to get away with such heinous acts, society will only continue to normalise child abuse.

An alarming facet of child abuse is the fact that many perpetrators are not strangers but rather acquaintances, neighbours and even immediate relatives. This reality challenges the myth that children are only unsafe outside their homes. Instead, danger often lies within familiar spaces where trust is easily exploited. Therefore, along with legal repercussions, we must also encourage a culture where children feel comfortable in bringing forth their experiences and adults choose to hold perpetrators accountable regardless of how close they are.

The government must also move beyond reactive measures. Child protection units must be properly funded and present in every district. Schools should also introduce mandatory child safety education, and law enforcement agencies must treat abuse cases with the urgency and sensitivity that they so rightly deserve. For a society that fails to protect its young is ultimately failing itself.