August 17, 2002	Saturday	Jamadi-us-Saani 7, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Aug 16: In the reported 431 cases of sexual abuse of children between the ages of 11-15, 722 of the 921 abusers were directly or indirectly related to the victim.

According to the data collected by Sahil, an NGO working on child sexual abuse the 431 cases were reported in the first six months of the current year.

The report showed that 238 (55 per cent) victims of sexual abuse were girls and 193 (45 per cent) boys.

The information collected by Sahil was from press clippings, First Information Reports (FIR) and letters written to various NGOs for counselling purposes by the victims, who wanted to remain anonymous due to social taboos.

The report also revealed that around six female and 10 male children were murdered after sexually assaulted. Besides 30 girls were gangraped and 73 boys gang-sodomised throughout the country.

Unfortunately, of the 431 cases, in only 249 the victims were identified by their names and pictures.

The abusers, according to the report belonged to all the categories: 722 acquaintances, 154 strangers, 12 family members, 13 policemen, six teachers, four clergymen and 10 women abettors.

The NGO commenting on the report said this was just the tip of the iceberg and maintained that majority of the cases went unreported due to societal tendencies of denial and silence.