Seventy per cent of child abuse victims in Pakistan's Punjab province during the first five months of 2023 were boys, an official report said on Friday.
A report by the Punjab government's Home Department said that there has been a 'significant increase' in child abuse crime rate in the province of 120 million people, mostly against boys.
During the first five months of this year, around 1,400 incidents of child abuse (rape) were reported in Punjab and of them -- 965 (70 per cent) victims were boys and 435 (30 per cent) girls, the report said.
It said that of the perpetrators facing trial in courts, 55 per cent are neighbours of the victims, 32 per cent are strangers, and 13 per cent are relatives.
“Child sexual abuse is influenced by a range of social factors in Pakistan, and patriarchal norms, power imbalances, poverty, illiteracy and social inequalities contribute to the vulnerability of the children,” the Dawn newspaper said, citing the report.
The report noted that a number of cases remain unreported due to fear and cultural taboos. Besides, the unwillingness of the parents to subject their children to the medico-legal process is also a deterrent in this connection.
Lack of support from family members, friends and the community leads to the isolation of the victims, making them hesitant to share their experiences about the abuser.
The victim-blaming attitudes and a lack of awareness about child rights further compound the challenges faced in addressing and preventing this crime, the report said.
“However, effective implementation, enforcement, and coordination among relevant agencies are crucial to ensure justice for victims and punishment for the perpetrators,” the newspaper cited the report.
Published 14 July 2023, 14:06 IST