The Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) has launched a detailed report analyzing cases of child sexual abuse across four provinces Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan of Pakistan from 2019 to 2023. The findings present alarming statistics, highlighting the growing prevalence of this heinous crime and emphasizing the urgent need for measures to protect children and bring perpetrators to justice.

According to the report, 5398 cases of child sexual abuse were reported across Pakistan during the five years. Punjab accounted for 62% of the cases with 3323 incidents, making it the province with the highest prevalence.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 1,360 cases 25.1%, Sindh reported 458 cases 8.5% and Balochistan accounted for 257 cases 5%.

One of the most concerning revelations is the year 2023 which has reported a 220% increase since 2019, indicating a rapidly escalating crisis.

The Lahore district in Punjab recorded the highest number of cases with 1176 incidents during the period. Meanwhile, the sparsely populated Kolai -Palas Kohistan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with a population of only 158096 under 18 reported 84 cases.

Source: The Reporter