By Pirah Aijaz
KARACHI: Child abuse has become an alarming issue in Pakistan. It includes nine major categories of abuse: child physical abuse, sexual abuse, child pornography, murder or homicide, kidnapping, child marriage, child labour, child beggary and trafficking.
In Pakistan, the situation is deteriorating. Innocent children are unsafe. They are being victimized by cruel people in schools, educational institutions, and even seminaries. This abuse often leaves deep psychological scars. Many cases go unreported due to lack of awareness, negligence, or fear, making children particularly vulnerable.
Children who experience maltreatment frequently suffer from anxiety, depression, low self-respect, fears of rejection, disconnection, despair, and loneliness. They often experience flashbacks of the incident and persistent fears. Alongside this, they face difficulties in making and maintaining relationships. These psychological consequences affect their personal life, and academic life, and overall development.
These psychological consequences often stem from root causes such as parents’ negligence, communication gaps, rigid boundaries, lack of awareness, and blind trust in others rather than in their own children, which often prevent children from speaking up.
The new national factsheet on violence against children
According to the new national fact sheet on violence against children (VAC), there is an alarming rise in the number of reported cases in Pakistan during the first six months of 2025, highlighting gaps in reporting, investigation, and prosecution that continue to put children in real danger.
The report was prepared based on Right to Information (RTI) requests. Police departments were asked to provide data from four regions — Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Islamabad. However, data from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was not received, so that province could not be included.
The report highlights cases reported under nine major categories of abuse. A total of 5,097 cases were registered from January to July 2025. Of these, 4,150 cases were from Punjab, 620 from Sindh, 276 from Islamabad, and 61 from Balochistan.
This shows that children are at risk, and the issue needs to be addressed as a priority.
To do this, parents and society must adopt friendly and supportive behavior toward children. Educating children about inappropriate touches, gestures, and unethical acts can help them protect themselves.
Prompt action, timely support, and awareness are key to preventing and reducing the long-term psychological effects of child abuse. Understanding and addressing these issues is crucial to protecting children’s mental and emotional well-being.
