Sexual abuse of Children

In a disturbing development, the torched body of a minor girl was recovered from Karachi’s Old Sabzi Mandi area, two days after she was reported to have gone missing. The law enforcement agencies reported that the five-year-old victim had been kidnapped and raped before being murdered and torched.

As many as eight children were sexually abused every day in Pakistan in 2019, according to a news report published this year. In 2019, a total of 2,846 cases of child abuse were reported from all four provinces of Pakistan, as well as Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan,

There has been a slight decrease in the number of reported child sexual abuse cases as compared to the past – thanks to the hard work of activists and lawmakers. However, despite the government’s efforts to minimise incidents and the role played by media in creating awareness, such cases are still occurring.

In this regard, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) remarked that sexual crimes against children are a gross violation of their rights. Sexual violence can take the form of harassment, sexual abuse, rape, or sexual exploitation in prostitution or pornography.

From homes to institutions to schools to workplaces, children can be victimised anywhere. It is, therefore, necessary to talk to children about sexual violence to ensure their safety. But unfortunately, no concrete steps are being taken to prevent such incidents.

Parents should also take important measures to keep their children safe from perpetrators. Such measures include defence strategies, teaching children about the basics of good touch and bad touch, and encourage them to share their daily activities.

On the other hand, the government should take stern legal action against such incidents and should strictly punish the perpetrators. So maybe there will be some reduction in such cases, otherwise, we will have to face more such tragedies.