Abstract
Introduction
Child sexual abuse is sexual activity with a child by an adult, adolescent, or older child. Child sexual abuse includes child grooming, indecent exposure, and child sexual exploitation (such as abusing a child to generate child pornography) and engaging in sexual intercourse with a child. Child sexual abuse can occur in a variety of settings, including the home, school, and workplace, in locations where child labor is prevalent. 1
Discussion
Pakistan has a population of 220 million people with a literacy rate of 44 %, 43 % are under the age of 15, and 33% live below the poverty line. Child abuse is increased in situations of poverty, insufficient legal protections, low literacy level, having a large family, and unemployment. Sexual assault of children is common in Pakistani schools. A study of child sexual abuse in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, in 1997, found that five children were raped or kidnapped each day. 2 Sahil reported 3832 cases in which (2068) girls and occurrences of sexual child abuse in 2018, an increase of 15% over 2017. The vast majority of incidents occur in rural areas, with metropolitan areas accounting for only 28% of overall occurrences (Table 1). 3
Examples of Child Sexual Abuse Reported in the Media.
Conclusion
These reports are sickening. The children will suffer throughout their life from the consequences of this abuse with long-term physical, emotional, and sexual trauma. This is a public health problem of concern to all involved in community health care. Child abuse continues to be overlooked in Pakistan, despite the large number of reported cases attracting the public’s attention. Often the victims of child abuse are unaware that they are being hurt. In Pakistan’s strict conservative culture, it is against the law to talk about sexuality, but children are being sexually abused need protection.12 This is a problem all public health workers should be aware of and participate in health promotion programs to reduce its incidence. As a first step, the Institute of Public Health and the Protection of Children’s Rights should set up programs to make children and their parents aware of sexual abuse.
Footnotes
Declaration of Conflicting Interests
The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
Funding
The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.
