2. Child Abuse
“Child sexual abuse or child molestation is a
form of child abuse in which an adult or
older adolescent uses a child for sexual
stimulation.”
Under the law, child sexual abuse is an umbrella
term describing criminal and civil offenses in
which an adult engages in sexual activity with a
minor or exploits a minor for the purpose of
sexual gratification
3. Effects of child abuse
The effects of child sexual abuse can include
depression, post-traumatic stress disorder,
anxiety, complex post-traumatic stress
disorder, propensity to further victimization
in adulthood, and physical injury to the
child, among other problems. Sexual abuse by
a family member is a form of incest, and can
result in more serious and long-term
psychological trauma, especially in the case of
parental incest.
4. Types of Child Abuse
Child sexual abuse includes a variety of sexual offenses,
including:
sexual assault – a term defining offenses in which an adult
touches a minor for the purpose of sexual gratification; for
example, rape
sexual exploitation – a term defining offenses in which an
adult victimizes a minor for advancement, sexual gratification,
or profit; for example, prostituting a child, and creating or
trafficking in child pornography.
sexual grooming – defines the social conduct of a potential
child sex offender who seeks to make a minor more accepting
of their advances, for example in an online chat room.
5. Statistics
Most sexual abuse offenders are acquainted with their victims;
approximately 30% are relatives of the child, most often brothers,
fathers, uncles or cousins; around 60% are other acquaintances
such as 'friends' of the family, babysitters, or neighbors; strangers
are the offenders in approximately 10% of child sexual abuse
cases.
Most child sexual abuse is committed by men; studies show that
women commit 14% to 40% of offenses reported against boys
and 6% of offenses reported against girls.
About two-third of the children abused in last few years, were
girls. They were abused for a longer period of time compared with
boys.
6. Child molestation in Pakistan
Most of the victims belong
to the 6-15 age bracket.
Statistics show around twothirds of child abuses were
committed by
acquaintances including
family members, friends,
neighbours, teachers,
clerics, guards, employers,
brick kiln owners and
shopkeepers and the rest
by strangers including
policemen, drivers and
7.
The number of child abuse
cases have been rapidly
augmenting in Pakistan due to
absence of proper hindrance
and cautionary standards
adopted by the government, as
well as the parents.
As per a report, the most
vulnerable age group of
children is of 11-15 years, in
which almost 25.5 per cent
cases took place, followed by
6-10 years, with 16.5 per cent
cases.
8. Child Abuse – a taboo
It is a taboo subject in Pakistan but child molestation is
quite common in our society, particularly in families where
the parents or guardians are either unaware of the danger
or are too unsuspecting of relatives, friends and servants.
In Pakistan another kind of silent predator exists, that of the
teacher or the cleric who teaches them the Holy Quran.
The pedophile dons many garbs but the holy mantle is the
most handy in this perversion. Not all of them are sexual
offenders, but reports show that some of the offenders
were disguised as clerics.
18 such cases registered against clerics in 2010 and 26 in
2011.
9. Our responsibilty...
to educate people on their children’s
vulnerability to abuse and the ways and means
for their protection, not only outside but inside
their home,too.
To encourage responsible members of the
community to report cases of abuse/neglect and
for the authorities to act on this information
to help child abuse victims cope with
tremendous emotional challenges.
10. Child sexual abuse is a matter of grave concern for the
society. It is a global phenomenon and the developed
nations had adopted strict measures to protect their
children from such incidents.
The government should run awareness programs throughout
the country especially in rural areas where the cases are
more, as part of school curriculum.
Awareness amongst parents is the only way to stop this
heinous crime. Parents must be very careful when leaving
their kids with ANYONE [maids, babysitters, tutors and
even family members]. Another thing to be kept n mind is
that just because its a woman doesn't mean she can't be
sick in the head.
