Child Abuse in Pakistan

One of the most inhuman and immoral act is child abuse. According to the definition of UNICEF: torturing a child physically, Physiologically or sexually anywhere is known as child abuse. It can happen in any educational institution, public places, workplace, homes and etc. Now a days people think that its okay to abuse a child physically, Physiologically or sexually but No it’s not okay it can destroy child’s will power it can make him suffocate inside it can destroy his future, his desires, it doesn’t only effect him but also effects on his family or even in his society. It can be just a start of his mental destruction, it can make him dead inside and even in some cases it can lead them to take their own life.

According to a report from and NGO named as Sahil who works for a safe environment for children and tackling child abuse there were about 2,321 cases of child abuse in 2007, 1838 in 2008, 2012 in 2009, 2252 in 2010 and 2303 in 2011. In 2017 as per the reports there were about 3445 cases of child abuse in the state and in the 2018 this number was surprisingly increased.

Child abuse stats in Pakistan

As compared to 2017 child sexual abuse cases were increased from 9 cases per day  to 12 cases per day. According to the reports the number of child abuse was 2232 from all the four provinces of Pakistan and as well as Islamabad, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltishtan. In which 65% cases was from Punjab, followed by Sindh with 25% cases, Khayber Pakhtunkhwa with 3%, Balochistan with 2%,Azad Jammu and Kashmir with 21 cases.

According to Pakistan today 8 children are sexually abused every day since 2019. A total of 2,846 cases are  reported till date. In which 778 cases were of abduction, 405 were of child missing, 384 were cases of sodomy, 279 cases of rape, 210 cases of attempted rape, 205 cases of gang sodomy cases and 115 cases of gang rape, the data showed. In addition, 104 cases child marriage cases were also reported from across the country.

Majority of the cases were of girls which was 54% and remaining 46% was of boys. The most vulnerable age is between 6-15 years.

Zainab Rape Case

In 2018 a 6 year old girl named as Zainab Ansari was disappeared on 4th January from Kasur her body was found on 9th January from a garbage disposal site near Lahore. The child had been rapped and strangled. This case grabbed a lot of attention from national and as well as from international media. There were large protects in Kasur and as well as in other major cities of Pakistan.

Many politicians, celebrates, cricketers and other famous people of Pakistan twitted for the justice for Zainab with the hashtag #Justiceforzainab. On 24th January in press conference Shahbaz shareef announced the arrest of a suspect named as, Imran Ali later it was discovered that he was the serial killer who was responsible for at least seven previous murders of prepubescent girls.

Zohra Shah case

In 2020 on 31st May 8 years old girl named as Zohra shah was beaten to death by her employers just by setting some expensive birds free. According to the police the girl was beaten and as well as sexually assaulted by employees due to the marks on her thighs and was bleeding form her genitals.

Such horrible incidents happens country wide yearly, monthly, weekly or even daily basis so when we will raise our voice against such inhuman acts? For how long we will don’t say anything? For how long we will remain quite? For how long we have to wait to take some strick action against such horrible people? When will the justice will be served?