ISLAMABAD: Sahil’s Six Months Cruel Numbers data reveals that a total of 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country.

In the first six months of 2024, 862 cases of child sexual abuse, 668 cases of abduction, 82 cases of missing children and 18 cases of child marriages were reported. This year, 48 cases of pornography after sexual abuse were also recorded.

Six-monthly data shows that out of the total reported cases, (962) 59pc of victims were girls and (668) 41pc were boys.

According to a statement, Sahil is working on child protection with special focus on child sexual abuse since 1996.

It aims to develop a protective environment free from all forms of violence for children, especially child sexual abuse.

It also provides legal, emotional and psychological support to the victims.

This year 81 daily national and regional newspapers were monitored from January to June 2024 to collect data of child sexual abuse, abduction, missing children and cases of early marriages. The areas include the four provinces along with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

The data shows that the most vulnerable age group remains children aged 6-15 years, with 693 cases reported in this bracket. Additionally, 94 cases involved children aged 0-5 years, 231 children were from the age bracket of 16-18 years, and in 612 cases, the age of the victims was not mentioned.

In the year 2024, January-June, the abusers involved in 47pc of the total cases were acquaintances, 18pc were strangers, while in 9pc acquaintances along with strangers committed crimes against children.

In the first six months of 2024, 78pc of the total cases were reported from Punjab and 6pc from the ICT. The rest of the cases were reported from other provinces including 11pc cases from Sindh, 3pc cases from KP, and 2pc cases from Balochistan, AJK and GB.

Out of the total reported cases, 44pc were from urban areas and 56pc were from rural areas.

This year, Sahil has also monitored the cases of violence against women. A total number 1,732 cases were reported which includes different forms of violence such as murder, suicide, abduction, rape, honour killing and torture.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024