Child maltreatment encompasses various forms of abuse and neglect experienced by individuals under 18, including physical and emotional harm, sexual abuse, and neglect, leading to significant lifelong consequences. The report highlights the global prevalence of this issue, with estimates indicating a quarter of adults reporting childhood physical abuse and numerous instances of emotional abuse and neglect. Additionally, the document examines extreme cases of maltreatment, such as those of 'Genie' and 'Baby Brianna,' underscoring the severe impact of abuse on child development and public health.

1. CHILD
MALTREATMENT
The Hidden Shame!
Compiled by Mehreen Shafique Business Law

2. A Report By

3. What is an Abuse?
Use (something) to bad effect or for a bad
purpose; misuse
What is Child maltreatment?
It is the abuse and neglect that
occurs to children under 18
years of age. It includes all types
of physical and/or emotional ill-
treatment, sexual abuse,
neglect, negligence and
commercial or other
exploitation, which results in actual or potential
harm to the child’s health, survival, development
or dignity in the context of a relationship of
responsibility, trust or power. Exposure to intimate
partner violence is also sometimes included as a
form of child maltreatment.
Scope of the problem:
Child maltreatment is a global problem with
serious life-long consequences. In spite of
recent national surveys in several low- and
middle-income countries, data from many
countries are still lacking.
Child maltreatment is complex and difficult to
study. Current estimates vary widely depending
on the country and the method of research
used. Estimates depend on:
 the definitions of child maltreatment used;
 the type of child maltreatment studied;
 the coverage and quality of official statistics;
 the coverage and quality of surveys that
request self-reports from victims, parents or
caregivers.
Nonetheless, international studies reveal that a
quarter of all adults’ report having been
physically abused as children and 1 in 5 women
and 1 in 13 men report having been sexually
abused as a child. Additionally, many children
are subject to emotional abuse (sometimes
referred to as psychological abuse) and to
neglect. Every year, there are an estimated 41
000 homicide deaths in children under 15 years
of age. This number underestimates the true
extent of the problem, as a significant
proportion of deaths due to child maltreatment
are incorrectly attributed to falls, burns,
drowning and other causes.
In armed conflict and refugee settings, girls are
particularly vulnerable to sexual violence,
exploitation and abuse by combatants, security
forces, members of their communities, aid
workers and others.
Consequences of maltreatment:
Child maltreatment causes suffering to children
and families and can have long-term
consequences. Maltreatment causes stress that
is associated with disruption in early brain
development. Extreme stress can impair the
development of the nervous and immune
systems. Consequently, as adults, maltreated
children are at increased risk for behavioral,
physical and mental health problems such as:
 Perpetrating or being a victim of violence
 Depression
 Smoking
 Obesity
 High-risk sexual behaviors
 Unintended pregnancy
 Alcohol and drug misuse
Via these behavioral and mental health
consequences, maltreatment can contribute to
heart disease, cancer, suicide and sexually
transmitted infections.
Beyond the health and social consequences of
child maltreatment, there is an economic
impact, including costs of hospitalization,
mental health treatment, child welfare, and
longer-term health costs.

4. A GLOBAL PROBLEM

5. AROUND THE WORLD
Reports of infanticide, cruel and humiliating punishment, neglect and abandonment, sexual abuse
and other forms of violence against children date back to ancient civilizations. Recently,
documentation of the magnitude and impact of violence against children shows clearly that this is
a very substantial and serious global problem. It occurs in every country in the world in a variety of
forms and settings and is often deeply rooted in cultural, economic, and social practices. A large
proportion of children in every society suffer significant violence within their homes. Only 16 States
prohibit all corporal punishment against children in all settings, leaving the vast majority of the
world’s child population without equal legal protection from being hit and deliberately humiliated
within their homes.
In addition,childrenfaceviolencefromthose entrusted with their carein schools, in careand justice
systems, as well asin placeswherethey areworkinglegallyorillegally.Inover100 countries,children
in schools suffer the reality or threat of State-authorized, legalized beating. In at least 30 States,
sentences of whipping or caning are still being imposed on children in penal systems, and in many
more States violent punishments are authorized in penal and care institutions.
Percentage of children aged 2 to 4 years who experienced any violent discipline in the past month, by type
Updated: Dec 2017

9. TYPES OF CHILD ABUSE
Domestic Abuse
Witnessing domestic abuse is child
abuse, and teenagers can suffer
domestic abuse in their relationships.
Sexual abuse
A child is sexually abused when they
are forced or persuaded to take part
in sexual activities. This doesn't have
to be physical contact, and it can
happen online.
Neglect
Neglect is the ongoing failure to
meet a child's basic needs. It's
dangerous and children can suffer
serious and long-term harm.
Online abuse
Online abuse is any type of abuse
that happens on the web, whether
through social networks, playing
online games or using mobile
phones.
Physical abuse
Physical abuse is deliberately hurting
a child causing injuries such as
bruises, broken bones, burns or cuts.
Emotional abuse
Children who are emotionally abused
suffer emotional maltreatment or
neglect. It's sometimes called
psychological abuse and can cause
children serious harm.
Child sexual exploitation
Child sexual exploitation is a type of
sexual abuse in which children are
sexually exploited for money, power
or status
Female genital mutilation (FGM)
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is
the partial or total removal of
external female genitalia for non-
medical reasons.
Bullying and cyberbullying
Bullying can happen at school, home
or online. It’s usually repeated over a
long period of time and can hurt a
child physically & emotionally.
Child trafficking
Child trafficking is a type of abuse
where children are recruited, moved
or transported and then exploited,
forced to work or sold.
Grooming
Children can be groomed online by a
stranger or by someone they know -
for example a family member, friend
or professional.
Harmful sexual behavior
Children and young people who
develop harmful sexual behavior
harm themselves and others.

10. COMPILING DATA
UNICEF GLOBAL DATABASES FOR CHILD PROTECTION maintains global databases on key child protection
indicators. The main sources of data include nationally representative household surveys, such as the MICS,
Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Reproductive Health Surveys (RHS) and AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), as well
as other national surveys, censuses, vital registration systems and other administrative records. These databases are
updated annually through a process that draws on data maintained by UNICEF’s network of country offices. As
demonstrated by the table below, the number of countries with available data on child protection has significantly
increased in the past eight years. New databases are currently under development.

11. EXTREME CASES
OF
CHILD NEGLECT AND ABUSE

12. STARVED, ABANDONED, ALONE: GENIE, THE FERAL CHILD
Genie Wiley (pseudonym) was the shocking story of the 1970’s. A girl who spent
her entire childhood locked in the bedroom. Raised in extreme isolation, Genie was
a wild child: uncivilized, barely able to talk or walk, still wearing diapers, albeit being
almost 14 years old. The indications showed she was being beaten from making
the noise.
Upon finding that Genie had not yet learned a language, psychologists and
linguists devoted a great deal of attention on Genie’s case, seeing an opportunity
to study the development of human language and behavior.
GENIE’S CHILDHOOD AND PARENTS
When a doctor informed Genie’s parents, Dorothy and Clark Wiley, their daughter
might have been mildly retarded and should be taken care of, Clark Wiley took the
advice to the extreme. Genie, whose birth name was Susan, was kept isolated in a
dark bedroom, locked in her bed surrounded by chicken-wire at night, strapped to
a potty chair during the day.
When Genie was discovered by the social workers, she couldn’t walk or talk, had
abnormal reactions, such as the inability to chew food. Furthermore, she was still
wearing diapers, had compulsive silence and inappropriate sexual behavior.

13. The investigators concluded the mastermind behind Genie’s abuse was his father,
Clark Wiley. His wife Dorothy claimed, she too was a victim of a violent psychopath.
Shortly after the discovery, Clark Wiley shot and killed himself. The suicide only
added more interest in Genie’s case.
SENSITIVITY TO TEMPERATURE
Like other children who have suffered from extreme isolation, Genie seemed to be
disconnected from certain bodily sensations. Her temporary foster parents noticed
when she was allowed to run her own bathwater, it was ice cold, which didn’t seem
to make any difference to her. The scientists theorize sensitivity to temperature is
very much influenced by our life experiences, Genie never experienced the warmth
of loving parents. It’s possible that our sensitivity to temperature come from
nurture, not from nature.
BRAIN SCANS Genie had extreme intellectual deficits. At
age thirteen, she couldn't talk, she could barely walk, she
was prone to self-injury whenever she became distressed,
and she had no control whatsoever over her bodily
functions.

14. Genie could not speak. She also could not focus her eyes on anything more than ten feet in front of her.
The room where she was held prisoner for the majority of her childhood was ten feet long.
GENIE'S FAMILY:
Genie had three siblings. Her father encouraged the other siblings to be cruel to Genie and abuse her.
Genie's mother tried to help Genie as best she could, but she had severe eyesight problems and soon
became completely blind. Her blindness caused
her to become entirely dependent on her
tyrannical husband. Genie was severely
underweight and constantly hungry. Her mother
would attempt to sneak small bits of food to her
in the middle of the night while her father slept.
Language and thought. Many researchers
firmly believed that there is a big difference
between language and thought. Just because Genie could not articulate her thoughts did not
mean that Genie didn't HAVE thoughts. One researcher explained, "the lights were on."
Feuds. Feuds developed between different research teams who studied Genie's case. They both
accused each other of exploitation. Much of the feuding was a result of shared frustration that
Genie was never able to learn how to verbally communicate.
Some progress. Genie eventually learned how to say certain words, but she was never able to
form a cohesive sentence. Still, researchers viewed it as a breakthrough when she said her first
word in their presence, "doctor."
Lost interest. Most of Genie's caretakers have long since retired. It is unknown where Genie is
today due to privacy laws. It is also unknown if little Genie ever learned how to speak.

15. ZHENYA BARSUKOV
The case of 13-year-old Zhenya Barsukov of Nizhny Novgorod who media referred to “Mowgli”, or “The
Dog Boy”. His alcoholic parents simply didn’t care and barely even noticed him. The authorities found him
covered in bruises, struggling to survive and could only say the words ‘yes’ or ‘no’ and ate with his hands
or from the floor.
He didn’t go to school or left the house. The boy was taken away from his parents and put to a psychiatric
hospital where they discovered a severe mental retardation. He is doing better, but it’s a long road ahead
on the way back to a normal life.

16. GIRL IN THE WINDOW
The veteran police detective who found Danielle
said he'd never seen a worse case of abuse. Her
emaciated, dirty frame was covered in insect
bites. At 7, she was still wearing a diaper, one that
was soaked and swollen, leaking from the legs,
obviously not changed for days. She was unable
to speak and could only communicate in grunts.
Isolated and neglected, she was a feral child. In
January 2008, writer Lane DE Gregory and
photographer Melissa Lyttle learned about
Danielle's story from a source who called to say
that after bouncing from foster families to
nursing homes, the little girl had found a "forever
family.
For the next six months, De Gregory and Lyttle
documented Danielle as she was taught how to
feed herself, mouth sounds in speech therapy,
laugh when tickled as she learned how to be
loved.
While the past was impossible to photograph,
talking to doctors who examined her, judges and
case workers who fought for her, and even the
birth mother who did this to her helped piece
together.
The story hit the Web on a Friday afternoon. By
midnight, so many readers had posted comments
that the site shut down. "The Girl in the Window"
generated more response than any piece of
journalism ever published during the 124-year
history of the St. Petersburg Times. The story
touched people. It made them angry and hopeful,
grateful and more aware. It helped raise
awareness about child neglect, foster care and
abuse investigations -- and tens of thousands of
dollars in unsolicited contributions for Dani's
long-term care.

17. “BABY BRIANNA CASE”
The Worst Case of Child Abuse in History
This is a disturbing but important story of a
fatal caseof child abuse. It is the case of baby
Briana Lopez, who was abused from birth by
both parents and other family members. We
as a nation must make cases like these
nonexistent. Autopsy results showed Brianna
Mariah Lopez, 5-months, 5-days old, died
from cranial cerebral injuries. She had
bruisingand scrapinginjuriesthroughout her
head,as well as on her upperforehead.Baby-
Briana’s died on July 19, 2002 in Las Crucens,
New Mexico. She was only five months old
when she was pronounced dead in the
Memorial Medical Center emergency room
at 11:10 am.
The reasons of her death, declared was
extreme child abuse. Brianna had 13 human
bite marks all over her body and head. There
were extensive injuries to her head and fatal
injuries to her brain. She had bleeding in the
brain as well as around the nerves of her
eyes. Her skull was fractured in two places,
there were two ribfractures, two moreon the
thigh bones of each of her legs, and a
fracture to her left arm.
She had also been raped by the ones who
were supposed to take care of her, her father
and uncle. Brianna was a victim of child
abuse, considered by many people as
perhaps the worst case in New Mexico

18. history. Her parents, Stephanie Lopez and
Andy Walters, and an uncle, Steven Lopez
were convicted and are in prison.
The abuse started almost immediately.
Instead of hugs and kisses Brianna received
slaps and pinches. She was tormented on a
daily basis, both verbally and physically.
Slapped, kicked, punched, pinched, thrown,
raped, etc.
You name it this infant endured it. When
Brianna would cry at the pain that was
inflictedonher, her abusers wouldlaugh and
stuff her mouth with clothing to muffle her
screams. Her own mother would bite and
pinch her when she got frustrated by the
crying, but for the most part it was the
infant’s father and uncle who tormented her
while Stephanie sat back and ignored her
daughter’s cries. Medical examiners would
later report the marks as being both old and
new which proved prolong abuse. Brianna
also had bleeding on her brain, both old and
new, as well as broken ribs, broken legs,
broken arms, lacerations to her fingers, and
her private parts.
She had been abused everyday of her short
life. Baby Brianna was what many would
consider a strong baby because she
managed to survive 153 days’ despite
coming into this cruel world weighing only
several pounds. On the evening of July 18th,
2002 Briana’s parents get drunk. Briana’s
mother, Stephanie, claimed to have had only
a few beers before heading to bed in the
same room the others were in. During this
time both Andy and Steven decided to play
their own sick, demented game where they
would toss Brianna up in the air, let her hit
the ceiling and watch her tumble to the
ground. They would later tell authorities that
Brianna was screamingand wailingwhenthis
was happening.
Apparentlythe baby’s motherdidn’t hear her
daughter screaming and crying in agony.
That same morning Stephanie noticed
Brianna needed a diaper change and Andy
volunteered to do it. During the diaper
change he wrapped a baby wipe around his
finger and inserted it into Brianna’s anus. He
also sodomized her with foreign objects.
When Stephanie noticed Brianna near death
she ignored it and decided to wait several
hours before calling an ambulance. Many
relatives including Brianna’s grandparents
knew what wasoccurring but ignoredit.They
knew their granddaughter was being raped
by both her father and uncle, they knew she
hadpinch marks fromheadto toein different
stages of healing, they knew she was being
tormented and had marks, cuts and
lacerations but they turned a blind eye and
let it continue for five, going on six more
months until baby Brianna’s little body
couldn’t handle the abuse any longer and
died. Her family was sentenced to jail.
.
Mother Father Uncle

19. JAVED IQBAL-
THE HORROR
STORY
Born 1961, Pakistan—died Oct.
9, 2001, Lahore, Pakistani serial
killer who murdered some 100
boys.
His case attracted international
attention not only because he
was one of the deadliest serial
killers in history but because,
upon his conviction, he was
sentenced to die in a manner
similar to that in which he had
tortured and killed his victims.
Little is known about Iqbal’s early life. Although complaints of sodomy were lodged
against him in 1985 and 1990, he was never convicted of any of the charges. Iqbal
surrendered to Pakistani authorities in 1999 after confessing to 100 murders during a six-
month period. According to his confession, he had lured the boys, mostly beggars and
street children between the ages of 6 and 16, to his home in Lahore, where he sexually
assaulted them, strangled them to death, dismembered their bodies, and disposed of the
pieces in a vat of acid. Iqbal claimed that his crimes were undertaken as an act of revenge
against the police, who, he said, had assaulted him following an arrest. Iqbal kept detailed
records of his victims, including their names, ages, and photographs.
Although he later denied his guilt, Iqbal was given 100 death sentences; the court also
ordered that he be executed with the same chain he used to strangle his victims and that
his body be cut into 100 pieces and dissolved in acid. Before the execution could take
place, however, Iqbal and a young accomplice, who also had been convicted, were found
dead in their prison cells. Despite indications of foul play, their deaths were officially ruled
suicides.

20. HIDDEN SHAME OF PAKISTAN
The number of reported child sexual abuse cases
in Pakistan has risenby 10 percent in the last year,
with roughly 11 children abused every day,
according to new statistics released Wednesday.
Report compiled by “Sahil”: A non-government
organization working against child sexual abuse ,
says that a total of 4,139 cases were registered in
2016, an increase from 3,768 in 2015.
The report says that 2,410 girls and 1,729 boys
were victims of sexual exploitation last year.
Some 45 percent of the victims were between the
ages of six and 15. Activists working to
ight child abuse have said the problem is
widespread but difficult to quantify because
victims are often unwilling to speak out.
Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, the National Commissioner
for Children, said at the report’s launch that the
government’s own research shows that at least 40
million children in Pakistan that were living below
the poverty line were in dire need of protection.
Sohail Ahmed, programme officer at “Sahil”,
proposed separate desks for reporting child
abuse cases at police stations. Also there should
be child friendly courts and special training for all
staff dealing with children, including teachers,
doctors and policemen.

21. In 2015, Pakistan took a step towards punishing
those guilty of abusing young girls with life
imprisonment or even death after an influential
parliamentary committee voted to amend the
current laws. But the amendment only appears to
address the sexual abuse of girls aged 14 and
under, not the boys.
Also in 2015, a huge scandal emerged involving
at least 280 children who the lawyers said were
filmed while being sexually abused, with their
parents blackmailed over the footage.
“KASUR” ABUSE CASE
Mind is a complex thing to understand. It weaves arrays of complex thoughts every second, moving from
one dimension to another like a lightning bolt, one after the other. Sometimes these thoughts are succinct
and sometimes too obscure to keep up with them for a prolonged period. The only time we are truly relieved
of this discursive commotion is when we are asleep. The mind can be highly productive, contributing its
share to the welfare of society or inclined towards negativity and depriving the society of the little it has
achieved so far in the name of welfare.
The infamous Kasur child sexual abuse scandal surfaced in a village near Kasur district, named Hussain
Khanwala. A racket of sexual predators was busted. Hundreds of video clips along with photographs were
discovered from the possession of the gang and they confessed their crime during an investigation. An
estimated 250 to 300 children, mostly boys, were the victims. This organized gang was selling the videos
and photographs to various porn sites. They engaged themselves in a grotesque attempt to do sexual acts
and in some videos they can be seen making the children do these things to each other. This gang was

22. playing the shots in two ways, extracting huge amounts from the parents of children by blackmailing them,
and on the other hand from their clientele worldwide.
The gang comprised of twenty-five men and they were continuously doing this horrendous thing since
2005. As per reports, a dispute arising from some property between two rival groups unearthed this stygian
business. Heartache can be felt after pondering over this fact that if that propertymatter had been somehow
solved without any fuss being created, then the chance was strong that nobody would have known about
this crime being committed. No matter how much one tries, this piece of information will always sound like
a lame excuse that villagers were not aware of this thing – yes an eminent threat to their life was there but
still, they could have unveiled it anonymously.
As soon as this brutality leaked in media it spread like wildfire and as it is a custom in any kind of mishap,
it shocked everyone and condemnations kept coming for quite a few days. Protests were organized in which
participants vehemently demanded exemplary punishment for the people involved in any capacity. People
did whatever they could do while abiding the law, leaving the rest to the government to execute as their
foremost duty.

23. DUTY? LET’S SEE HOW WELL THEY DID
The bigger shock came after this gang was exposed and all the facts reached the people. The thing which
left everyone appalled, and clearly aggravated the severity of situation further, was the fact that this gang
wasn’t working on their own. They were operating under the aegis of a local influential member of the
National Assembly and Police. They tried whatever was in their power to hush up the matter, or at least
make it vanish from the mainstream, but luckily to no avail. To the very last moment, Rana Sanaullah tried
to save the party member by giving false and tempered facts about his not being involved at all. The
incalculable gross misconduct, even if given a mere thought, will jostle the normality of mind. The
categorical denial is now child's play for PML-N to cover their acute shortcomings.
If our lawmakers are indulged in such heinous criminal activities, then whatever, small or big, we expect
from them to be done in pursuance of their claims, makes no sense at all. Expectations aside, the duty which
their oath and allegiance to the constitution of Pakistan bind on them, are enough to make them take all
the steps necessary.
As of the latest developments, the two culprits who were awarded life imprisonment last year by the anti-
terrorism court are enjoying amenities which are not allowed to be availed by prisoners in jail. They have
access to mobile phone and are able to place a call whenever they want and wherever they want. Such
deplorable state and criminal negligence being committed by Punjab police if viewed in contrast with Mian
Shabaz’s claim of an ideal Punjab don't soar for a second.
To this date, this unfortunate incident remains one of its kind; a scandal to which our ears and wildest of
speculations weren’t accustomed to. At least this should have been dealt with an effective manner by the
Punjab Government, so that ramblings about always sticking to merit could actually get some claim to rest
itself on.

24. CHILD ABUSE CASES ON THE RISE IN KP
PESHAWAR - Owing to negligence of the parents and lack of strict legislation to punish the evil forces in
the society, numbers of child abuses cases have been mounting with each passing day and in the last one-
year around 153 cases of child abuse have been reported. As per the data available with The Nation, the
urban-rural divide shows that 67 per cent cases were reported from rural areas whereas 33 per cent cases
were reported from the urban areas. Of all the cases 74 per cent were registered with police, 7 per cent
were unregistered whereas in 28 cases police refused to register FIR.
Latest case surfaced in Mardan on 23 April 2015 when local police has registered a case against two people
for allegedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old-boy in the limits of Toru Police station, police said. A 10-year-
old -boy resident of nearby village in Mardan told police that he was present in the fields when two persons
came there and sexually abused him by force. Police registered case against the accused under section 377
and 34 of Pakistan penal code.
Another case was reported in Aug 2014, when a 14-year-old resident of Andrasi Village in Mansehra was
raped by a fellow villager. She lodged an FIR against the accused at the Shinkiari police Station where a
local police officer registered her complaint and consoled her, promising to bring her tormentor to justice.
On pretext of taking the girl for a medical examination to a local hospital, the police officer then took the
girl to his house and raped her. The girl immediately informed the District Police Officer (DPO) of her ordeal,
who immediately ordered for the arrest of the responsible person.
In May 2014, a class XII student from Mansehra-Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was gang raped by a group of men
inside a car. The girl was returning home from college when one of her acquaintances offered to dr op her
home in her car. According to reports, a group of men were already inside the car and they gang raped the

25. student. An FIR was lodged against the culprits whereby the police arrested four of the accused along with
the victims’ friend who turned out to be their friend.
Besides these reported cases numbers of children are often being exploited at work places like workshops,
hotels and various training centres. Due to economic miseries most of the children from nearby districts are
coming to Peshawar to support their families but some time they go in wrong hand.
The ratio is also high in Bannu, Mardan and Charsadda where poor people are mostly sending their children
to work. These children need guidance and education that how to protect themselves against evils.
PAKISTAN’S HIDDEN SHAME: HORRORS
OF PEDOPHILIA IN K-P
Director Mohammed Naqvi, and British producer Jamie Doran's film Pakistan’s Hidden Shame depicts the
shocking reality of sexual abuse faced by small boys in the Northern areas of Pakistan.The documentary
premiered on September 1 on Britain's Channel 4 and shows the "dark reality of a society living in denial."
Set mainly in Peshawar, the film shows homeless boys of different ages recalling their experiences of sexual
exploitation. In an interview with CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, the director of the documentary told
her what puts children at risk in Pakistan and around the world.
"Pedophiles by their very nature are inadequate, it's about power over children."

26. "Where these individuals are able to use and abuse vulnerable children, Pakistan in particular because of
the poverty. That's one of the other factors that really plays here."
In the documentary, the narrator introduces Pakistan as 'one of the most important Muslim populations, a
democracy, a nuclear power and a supporter of the Western bloc.' But it soon reveals the silence and denial
on one of the taboos topics: pedophilia. The documentary alleges that 9 out of 10 children in Peshawar
have been victims of pedophilia. It also contains interviews with truck drivers who have committed such
crimes. Shockingly, one of the drivers admits, without any remorse, to having raped 11 or 12 boys. Doran
also questions Imran Khan whose party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) formed the government in Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa which has Peshawar as its capital.
"It's one of the saddest and shameful aspects of our society. I am totally embarrassed by this and that we
have not really been able to protect them," Khan said.
Disturbing Rotherham child abuse report
The release ofthe documentary overlaps with the alarming revelations of a reportreleased from Rotherham,
the Northern English town where abuse, grooming and trafficking of 1,400 girls by predominantly Asian
men over a 16-year period.

27. According to Reuters, the independent report last week exposed the scale and graphic nature of the crimes
and raised difficult questions about whether timidity about confronting the racial aspects of the abuse had
prompted authorities to turn a blind eye.
Some of the victims, mainly white girls in social care homes, were as young as 11 and were plied with drugs
and alcohol before being trafficked to cities across northern England and gang-raped by groups of men,
predominately of Pakistani heritage, the report said.
Those who tried to speak out were threatened with guns and made to watch brutal gang rapes. Their
abusers said they would be next if they told anyone. One girl was doused with petrol, her rapist threatening
to set her alight.
The report added that senior managers in social care "underplayed" the problem while police regarded
many victims with contempt.

28. CRUEL NUMBER REPORT: ‘MOST
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE CASES FROM
PUNJAB’
Punjab remained in the unenviable position of being the province with the most child abuse
cases from January to June 2017. As many as 1,764 children were sexually abused in Pakistan
during the period. This number was compiled as a part of the yearly “cruel number” report by
Sahil- an organisation which is working against Child Sexual Abuse in Pakistan.
The organisation has been publishing ‘Cruel Number’ reports for the last 17 years, based on
data collectedthrough online monitoring and printed newspapers, direct cases received at Sahil
offices for free legal aid and cases shared by other organisations working on CSA.
The data compiled from January to June 2017 of Cruel Number revealed that 1,067 girls and
697 boys were sexually exploited. However, a decrease of 17% in numbers in incidents was
observed when compared to January-June 2016. Moreover, 59 cases of child marriages and 14
cases of vani were reported during that time.

29. As many as 14 cases of child abuse in madrassas were reported. Similarly, hospitals, hotels, cars,
clinics, colleges, factories, jails, police stations, marriage halls and graveyards were reported as
places of child abuse occurrences. The province wise data showed 1,089 cases from Punjab, 490
cases from Sindh, 76 violations from Baluchistan, 42 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, nine from Azad
Kashmir and 58 cases were reported in the federal capital.
According to the report, 1,306 incidents were reported to the police, while 23 remained
unreported. As many as 47 cases were not registered by the police despite being reported.
Furthermore, 388 cases were reported in newspapers with incomplete information.
The report revealed that 58 children were sexually abused in Lahore in the six-month period in
2017.
Moreover, the report recommended the government to establish a Child Safety Cell in every
district of Punjab. It called out for the need of an effective awareness campaign for the
protection of children, introduction of new legislation where necessary and implementation of
enforced enactments. According to Anser Sajid Bhatti, who shared the report data with The
Express Tribune, “There is a need for comprehensive rehabilitation and support system for the
victims of abuse.”
Bhatti said that relevant messages against child abuse protection and prevention should be
included in the curriculum. “National Plan of Action against child sexual abuse and exploitation
should also be implemented in letter spirit,” he added.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 12th
, 2017.

30. PAKISTAN PASSES LAW AGAINST CHILD
SEXUAL ABUSE
The bill was tabled by Minister for Human Rights
Zahid Hamid in the House. The law criminalizes
assault against children, child pornography and
trafficking.
The Statement and Objects of the Criminal
Law (Amendment) Bill 2015 says that Pakistan
ratified the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1990 and is
under obligation to implement its provision by
harmonizing national policies legislations
programs plans of action with it and report
progress to the UN Committee on the Rights of
the Child Geneva after every year.
The provisions provided in criminal law statutes
previously failed to cover number of very serious
offenses against the person of a child like child
pornography, exposure to seduction, sexual
abuse cruelty to a child and trafficking.
The amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code and
Code of Criminal Procedure have been proposed
while keeping in mind the international
obligations and domestic realities.

31. PAKISTAN PENAL CODE CHILD ABUSE
AMENDMENT 2016
Pakistan Penal Code is amended through
Criminal Law Second Amendment Act 2016 to
address the serious issue of child abuse. Child
abuse or crimes against child is one of the
pressing social issues of Pakistan. Through this
amendment in Pakistan Penal Code punishments
are enhanced for the crimes against child.
Section 82 of Pakistan Penal Code is amended
and age of child enhanced from seven to ten.
Now everyone under age of ten is considered as
child, previously anyone under age of seven is
considered as child.
Three new sections are inserted in one particular
chapter of Pakistan Penal Code i.e. 292A, 292B
and 292C. Section 292A is about offence of
exposure of child to seduction. 292B is about
offence of child pornography and 292C is about
punishment of child pornography.
A new section 328A is inserted in PPC which
describes the offence of cruelty to child and its
punishment. Section 377A and 377B are
inserted in PPC which describes the offence of
sexual abuse with child and its punishment.
Schedule of Criminal Procedure Code is also
amended which further explain all the new
sections inserted in Pakistan Penal Code
.

36. ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has inadequate, spineless laws, dealing with the child
sexual abuse, and ordinary statutes are invoked when children are found to be
victims of this despicable offence.
“The existing Punjab Destitute and Neglected Children Act 2004 is too weak,
insufficient to cope with such crimes,” prominent lawyer Azhar Siddique told
The News. However, he pointed out that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Child
Protection and Welfare Act 2010 was relatively better compared to the Punjab
law.
The KP act, Azhar Siddique said, also covers the child pornography and sexual
harassment. Both the laws and the similar statutes existing in other provinces
don’t provide for stringent punishment, he said.
That’s why, the lawyer said, the ordinary law, the Pakistan Penal Code PPC) is
applied in the cases that also involve children.
He said now when the nation has been shattered and rocked by the Kasur
scandal, special laws should be formulated to award exemplary punishment to
such perpetrators.
Due to insufficient punishment provided by the present law, the Anti-Terrorism

37. Act (ATA) 1997 is also invoked as has been done in the case of the startling
Kasur child abuse scandal so that the culprit do not escape severe punishment.
Section 40 of the Punjab act says whoever secures custody of a child ostensibly
for any purpose but exposes such a child to the risk of seduction, sodomy,
prostitution or other immoral conditions, shall be punished with imprisonment
of either description for a term which may extend to three years or with fine
which may extend to Rs50,000 or with both.
In fact, it was enacted to consolidate the laws for the rescue, protective custody,
care and rehabilitation of destitute and neglected children other than those
involved in criminal litigation. The offenders, according to this act, are to be
tried by the child protection courts.
The lawyer said special laws and special agencies are required to investigate the
child sexual abuse cases. Police are incapable and ill-equipped to properly
probe them, he felt.
Section 48 of the KP law says whoever commits an offence of child pornography
shall be punished with rigorous imprisonment of either description for a term
which may not be less than three years and may extend to seven years and also
liable to fine which may not be less than Rs200,000 and may extend to
Rs500,000. Its section 50 reads whoever seduces a child by any means
whatsoever with an intent to involve him in any sexual activity or exposes him
to obscene and sexually explicit material, document, a film, video or a computer
generated imagine or attempts to do this action, shall be punished with
rigorous imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to
seven years or liable to fine which may extend to Rs10,000 or with both.
Section 49 reads that whoever, by words, spoken or written, or by sign, or
otherwise, incites or attempts to incite a child to make any bet or wager or to
enter into or take any share or interest in any betting or wagering, shall be
punished with rigorous imprisonment for a term which may extend to six
months and shall also be liable to a fine which may extend to Rs50,000.
Sections 376 and 277 of the PPC have been applied to the Kasur case as is

38. generally in such offences. Section 376 says whoever commits rape shall be
punished with death or imprisonment of either description for a term which
shall not be less than ten years or more than twenty-five years and shall also be
liable to fine. When rape is committed by two or more persons in furtherance
of common intention of all, each of such persons shall be punished with death
or imprisonment for life.
Section 377 says whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of
nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment
for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which shall not be
less than two years nor more than ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Azhar Siddique said there was dire need after the shocking Kasur incident to
double the punishment for the child sexual abuse and a separate authority
should be created to investigate such heinous crimes.
In India, he said, a special code has been framed to deal with the child rape. He
said minor victims in such cases shouldn’t and can’t be treated like the adult
ones.
In addition, he said, the children affected by this appalling crime also need to
be handled psychologically, which police can’t do because they are not trained
for that. The police only know the traditional methods of investigation, lack any
innovation, he said and added that it was prudent to assign only the duty of
maintaining law and order and ensuring security.
While the official measures and laws have been patchy and deficient to sort out
the grave crime, the federal government has tabled in the National Assembly
two bills for the establishment of National Commission on Child Rights, and
Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2015, for protection of child rights. The
amendment in the criminal law deals with child sexual abuse and child
pornography. The bills have been referred to the Standing Committee on Law,
Justice and Human Rights. Additionally, the juvenile Justice System Bill, 2015,
has been prepared to address the issue of juvenile delinquency as well as
violence and offences against children, the minister said in his reply. Pakistan
People’s Party (PPP) lawmaker Navid Qamar, who is member of this standing

39. committee, has been quoted as saying that such legislation must have been
done long ago.
The government is also undertaking a measure against the menace of child
sexual abuse at the regional level. South Asia Forum to end Violence Against
Children (SAIEVAC), an apex body of the Saarc (South Asian Association for
Regional Conference), has been established to focus on five thematic areas, i.e.
child marriages, child labour, child trafficking, child sexual abuse and
exploitation and corporal punishment, Information Minister Senator Pervez
Rashid, who also holds the portfolio of law, has told the National Assembly.
The National Commission for Child Welfare and Development-led initiatives
(NCCWD) was working for realization of child rights. These included: a project,
titled “Ending Violence Against children in Pakistan” with the support of Saarc
Development Fund; a legal review has been in process to facilitate ratification
of the OptionalProtocol to the UNCRC on the Involvement of Children in Armed
Conflict. Moreover, the National Child Protection Centre is providing temporary
shelter to the homeless/street children, victims of violence and runaway
children.
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