A confidential report from the home department has raised serious concerns about the rising incidence of child abuse in Punjab. The report reveals that boys are more frequently affected than girls in these horrific crimes.
According to the report, 55 percent of the perpetrators facing trial were neighbors of the victims, 32 percent were strangers, and 13 percent were relatives.
To gather data on child abuse in Punjab, the department collected information from various regions. The report indicated that Rawalpindi and Lahore had the lowest occurrence of crimes against children compared to other divisions in the province.
The report identified several significant factors that impede the control of sexual crimes against children in Punjab. These factors include fear, cultural taboos, and parents’ unwillingness to subject their children to medico-legal examinations.
Victims also face isolation due to a lack of support from family, friends, and the community, leading them to hesitate in reporting the abuse. Additionally, socioeconomic stresses, unemployment, low self-confidence, and psychological unrest were cited as contributing factors.
In the first five and a half months of the year, Punjab reported a total of 1,390 child abuse incidents, with boys constituting 69 percent of the victims. Gujranwala had the highest number of incidents, followed by DG Khan, Faisalabad, and Multan.
The report provided several recommendations to address this issue. These include raising awareness among the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau and establishing a dedicated team of professionals.
It emphasized the importance of coordination among stakeholders, training programs for professionals, and effective implementation of child protection laws. The report also highlighted the need for special courts to handle child abuse cases, enhanced capacity of law enforcement agencies, and the involvement of the Ministry of Human Rights.
Furthermore, the report emphasized the significance of support services such as counseling, medical assistance, legal aid, and rehabilitation programs for victims and their families.
