More than 3,600 cases of child abuse reported in 2025, more than 9 children affected daily

Kashgil News Exclusive Report

A recent report by an organization working on child protection in Pakistan has revealed a worrying situation, revealing that at least 3,630 cases of child abuse were reported during the year 2025, which is 8 percent more than in 2024. According to the data, an average of more than 9 children in the country became victims of some kind of abuse every day.

The report is based on an analysis of cases published in 81 national and regional newspapers and complaints received by the organization. However, according to experts, the actual number may be much higher because many cases go unreported.

Gender and Age-Based Situation
According to the report, 53 percent (1,924) of the victims were girls while 45 percent (1,625) were boys, which negates the common perception that only girls are targeted. Another 116 cases were related to infants, which shows the vulnerable situation of young children.

According to the data, children aged 11 to 15 years were the most affected, while the rate of cases among boys in this age group was higher than that of girls.

Students and vulnerable groups more affected
Students remained the largest group among the victims, with 417 cases reported. In addition, 72 cases related to child labor and 46 cases of children with special needs were also reported.

Sexual abuse a prominent reason
Of the total cases, 2,003 (55 percent) were related to sexual abuse. These included 596 cases of sexual assault and 522 cases of rape, while 238 cases of gang rape were also recorded.

Who were the perpetrators?
According to the report, in most of the cases, the perpetrators were acquaintances of the affected children. In 1,667 cases, the perpetrators were acquaintances, in 754 cases, strangers, while in the others, religious teachers, shopkeepers and neighbors were involved. In several cases, the involvement of close relatives was also revealed, which raises serious questions about the protection of children at the household level.

Experts say that these increasing incidents highlight the need for urgent attention to the child protection system, the performance of law enforcement agencies and societal attitudes.

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