8 children abused every day in Pakistan in 2019: report

As many as eight children were sexually abused every day in Pakistan in 2019, according to a new report, which shows a 25 per cent decrease from the previous 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, as per Sahil, an Islamabad-based NGO working for child protection.

Of the total, 778 were abductions, 405 children went missing, 384 were cases of sodomy, 279 of rape, 210 of attempted rape, 205 of gang sodomy cases and 115 of gang rape, the data showed.

In addition, 104 child marriage cases were also reported from across the country.

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Majority of the victims, 54 per cent, were girls, while 46 per cent were boys. The most vulnerable age group was between six-15 years. Although children as young as 0-5 years were also sexually abused, stated the report.

There were at least 70 cases identified related to pornography.

In 2018, a total of 3,832 cases of child abuse were reported by Sahil in Pakistan.