Murdering children

It is perfectly possible that many cases of child abuse are never reported. However, the figures that exist paint a frightening picture of the dangers that stalk young children. A study of new data from Punjab in 2017 indicates that at least three children under 10 are subjected each day to rape or abuse, while one is murdered each month. There are stark differences across the six districts of the province, with the Gujranwala region recording the highest number of abuse cases at 519; and the Sheikhupura region, which includes the Kasur district recording the highest number of murder cases, or 10 since 2017. The data also shows 13 girls under 10 years were killed after being raped in Punjab in 2017 while nine boys suffered the same fate after abuse. In 2018, 14 children were killed including seven-year-old Zainab who was murdered after being raped in Kasur early that year. The statistics are frightening in more ways than one. They suggest that from some of the less developed regions, where very few cases are reported, incidents of abuse may not be coming to light even today. This underlines the need for more awareness raising in areas such as Multan, Sahiwal, Dera Ghazi Khan and other districts.We also do not know how many other children suffer abuse or maltreatment within their own homes. Police officials point out that in a large number of child abuse cases, the issue is settled within families rather than bringing it out into the open. While this problem has been improving over the years, it still exists. It also appears that a high-profile case of abuse will lead to others in the area reporting incidents they are aware of. There are also suggestions that dedicated helplines available to women and children can encourage the reporting of cases. One such helpline receives at least 25 to 30 calls on average per day. This is a high number. We need more helplines and more methods which can enable victims or female family members to report cases without visiting a police station. We know that in our society, many women and also children would hesitate to visit a police station unaccompanied. Awareness of the problem among parents also needs to be created. They must be aware that many others suffer similar heinous crimes. Reporting such incidents can only help in the difficult task of developing a culture in which abuse is more often reported.

from The News International - Editorial http://bit.ly/2VGZYBZ