It is very unfortunate that our little ones are exposed to all sorts of abuse as is evident from the recent report titled "Sahil's Six Months Cruel Numbers Report" by NGO Sahil released the other day. The statistics are alarming as according to this report a total of 2,211 cases of child abuse occurred across the homeland in the first six months of the ongoing year. 

This report points to harrowing situation as it has set the alarms bells ringing for parents who are dumb found to know that as many as 12 children are sexually abused on average per day in the country as compared to earlier report of 10 children being abused on daily basis. Plight of the children must not go unnoticed by the child protection agencies, the concerned NGOs and foremost the government as it is the responsibility of the state to protect children and come hard on perpetrators of such crimes. 

The NGOs, the teachers, the relatives and neighours must be encouraged to report heinous crimes against children to the authorities, expose the criminals and also help in making the perpetrators to face the music. There are various forms of child abuse like physical, mental and sexual and what is seen in this video may be classified as fatal abuse as such physical torture can leave the child battered for life. In case of continued torture over a long period, it can also be life threatening. What is seen in the video is simply unacceptable.  

One would appeal to the person who has uploaded this video on social media to also expose the name and other whereabouts of the perpetrator of this child abuse so that action can be taken against her.  Neighbors, teachers, relatives and passers-by all have a stake in raising a child in a safe environment.  As a matter of fact, no religion allows such violence against children.

Our constitution also safeguards the rights of children but practically our young ones are facing extreme crimes against them in the form of mental and physical torture, sexual abuse as also the child labour including the young maids. With the passage of time, one sees an alarming rise in such crimes against the little ones. On the average, 12 children are abused daily. 

The actual number of incidents must be even higher as the SAHIL report is based on the incidents which are reported in the media but still a very high number of cases go unreported as many families conceal the truth due to stigma attached with the sexual abuse of the children. Hundreds of boys and girls  fell prey to beasts of nights  as per these latest data on sexual exploitation.  

The cases  include incidents of abduction,  rape,  sodomy, gang rape,  gang sodomy  and many were  murdered after sexual sexual exploitation. Just imagine, 20 per cent of the victims were aged between 5 to 9 years which speaks volume of the gravtity of the issue. One wonders as to where do we head?  No place is safe for our little ones as   over two hundreds of  victim children have  been abused in their own places,  around 700 at an acquaintance's place, four in a haveli, 900 in a madrassa, many at their workplace and around  in open places, including fields, streets and forests. 

Dismayed at the alarming statistics, a myriad thoughts and emotions and questions arise in minds. And one is filled with a sense of sadness to frustration to anger, when we come across such statistics.   When a fatal child abuse occurs, we come across  knee-jerk actions on part of  institutions  and angry protests  and statements from high ups and NGOs, but after few days, when the dust settles , the issue dies down and the perpetrators loom large. Human Rights lawyers are of the view that there should be separate police stations to deal with cases of child abuses. 

The irony is that laws are there but there is lack of implementation, so one demands  implementation of all laws regarding children rights in strict sense of the word, the alarming rise in incidents of child abuses is a matter of concern , it is serious social issue and needs immediate state and societal redressal. To be very specific, there is dire need for setting up proper mechanisms to deal with such cases. Meanwhile, social activists say that it is good to see that Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has done a good job to have ordered  setting up of child protection units (CPUs) in every women police station to solely deal with child exploitation cases.

They said that the state must ensure not only that the victim receives proper physical and mental cure, but also that the environment the child is returning to is safe afterwards.  And last but not the least; the perpetrator should be punished in strict sense of the word. One must also advise the parents to focus on preventive measure which must include to educate your children on how to be escape such unfortunate conditions. Parent should not only guard their own children but also the other children. 

Similarly teachers and the society at large should keep a vigil on such elements who exploit children. Neighbour can help prevent child abuse to some extent. However, the main responsibility with the government, the state to come hard on criminals and implement the existing laws in real sense of the word.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 17 2022

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