SUKKUR Incidents of child abuse were on constant rise in Pakistan and 992 children including 304 boys and 688 girls were subjected to sexual abuse from January 2008 to June 2008 and according to the figure 5 children were facing sexual abuse every day in the country.

Khadim Hussain Dahot coordinator referral unit SAHIL disclosed this, while addressing a press conference in Sukkur press club, on Wednesday evening. Legal advisor of SAHIL advocate Hadi Bux Bhat was also present on the occasion.

Presenting the report of SAHIL about sex abuse of children in Pakistan during January to June 2008, he said that, reported cases of child abuse about girl victims were more as compared to those of boys. He said that, during the period 79 boys and 339 girls were abducted, and 24 boys and 77 girls were subjected to sexual abuse. Besides this, 32 boys were killed during sexual assault, while 107 boys and 147 girls were raped out of which, 11 girls and 11 boys were killed after sexual abuse. 69 boys and 108 girls were subjected to gang rape, out of which, 11 boys and 6 girls were killed after gang rape, he added.

Dahot said that, according to the figures, 2114 persons, involved in sexual abuse belonged to different sections of the society, out of which, 1431 were known to the children, 337 were strangers, while the others included, neighbors, close relatives, landlords, professional women, police, teachers, friends, chowkidars, guard, shopkeepers, traders, drivers and brick kiln owners.

According to him, the children, who were subjected to sexual abuse were of different age groups, which include, 22 boys and 22 girls aged between one to 5 years, 77 boys and 80 girls aged between 6 to 10 years, 94 boys and 155 girls aged between 11 to 15 years and 19 boys and 80 girls aged between 16 to 18 years.

According to the report of SAHIL, more cases of child abuse had taken place in Punjab and Sindh provinces and during the period under review, cases of child abuse including, 147 boys and 518 girls were reported in Punjab, and in Sindh 130 cases of boys and 128 cases of girls were reported. In federal capital Islamabad, 11 cases of boys and 27 cases of girls were reported, besides, 9 cases of boys and 10 cases of girls were reported in NWFP and in Balochistan 6 cases of boys and one case of girl were reported, while in Azad Kashmir one case of boy and 4 cases of girls were reported. Report said that, 69% cases of child abuse were reported in the rural areas and 31% were reported in urban areas.

Report further said that, place of sexual abuse incidents regarding 353 cases was not known, 129 cases took place at the homes of victims, in absence of their parents and 296 cases took place at the house or other place of the culprits, while many cases took place in deserted streets, forest, markets, under construction houses, hospitals, madrassas, factories, mosques, farms, guest houses, jail and others.