Every few weeks, Pakistan is shaken by another heartbreaking case of child sexual abuse. A young boy or girl goes missing, only to be found later as the victim of a horrific crime. Public anger erupts, demands for justice flood television screens and social media, and political leaders promise action. After a few days, national attention vanishes and another child appears as a new headline. Cases involving children like Zainab Ansari, Muntaha Zahra, Shakeel Saleem, and Muhammad Wali shocked the public because they reached the media. But what about those cases that are never reported and never reach the media?
According to Sahil’s 2025 Annual Report, 3365 child abuse cases were reported during 2025. These figures represent only reported cases. Child sexual abuse is one of the most underreported crimes, so the actual number of victims is likely much higher. Why are so many cases never reported? Child abuse is among the most underreported crimes in the world. According to UNICEF and Sahil, most abusers are people known to the victims. Many children do not report these cases due to fear and shame. They fear they will be blamed, and in many cases the offenders threaten them. In many families, parents do not report these because they prioritize family honor over their children s safety and well-being.
Furthermore, many young children lack a basic understanding of bodily autonomy and safe boundaries. Besides this, children who depend on the offender emotionally or financially may feel trapped and unable to seek help. A lack of trust in the police, lengthy court proceedings, and fear that justice will not be served further discourage reporting, leaving countless cases hidden from public view.
Why do people sexually abuse children? There is no single reason for it. Some offenders commit abuse to satisfy a desire to dominate, control, or harm others. Research suggests that some offenders justify their actions by convincing themselves that the child consented or was not harmed. Not all abusers are pedophiles; some are obsessed with sex, and they are unable to control their lust, so they target children because they are vulnerable. Some offenders may commit these crimes after experiencing trauma, including childhood sexual abuse or domestic violence, although most survivors of abuse never become offenders.
Societal and online influences also play a major role in promoting sexual abuse in which women and children are shown as sex objects. Negative peer influences can also encourage or normalize abusive behaviour. Child sexual abuse commonly occurs in homes, schools, colleges, religious institutions, sports clubs, orphanages, neighborhoods, and online spaces. Offenders often exploit positions of trust and authority to gain access to children. The abuse of children through grooming on the internet is on the rise. Offenders use social media, online gaming, and messaging apps to befriend a child before they manipulate, exploit, or abuse them. With the increasing use of the internet by children in Pakistan, educating them on digital safety and putting in place stronger mechanisms to protect them online have become imperative.
How have other countries tackled child abuse? No country has completely eliminated child sexual abuse, but many have reduced its prevalence through stronger legal and institutional frameworks. Countries such as the United Kingdom, United States, France, Australia, South Korea, Poland, Indonesia, and the Czech Republic impose long imprisonments on sex offenders of 10 or more years. These countries also have mandatory reporting laws, child advocacy centers, sex offender registries, and specialized child protection units. Chemical castration is also utilized for repeat or severe sex offenders in nations such as South Korea, Poland, and Indonesia, as well as in several U.S. states, including California, Florida, and Louisiana. Chemical castration is the use of medicines, injections, or pills to lower sex hormones like testosterone and reduce sex drive. Surgical castration is used in the Czech Republic for serious sex offenders.
It is a permanent medical operation to remove the testicles in males or the ovaries in females in order to stop the body from making sex hormones. Some critics argue that this is not a proper solution, and experts emphasize that prevention, investigation, and swift prosecution remain essential. Should Pakistan consider similar measures? Pakistan has severe penalties, including life imprisonment and, in some circumstances, the death penalty. Pakistan has strong laws for child protection, but the implementation of these laws remains uneven. Every institution that works with children, including schools, madrassas, and sports clubs, should have clear child safeguarding policies. There should also be effective oversight to ensure these policies are implemented. Pakistan has enacted child protection legislation, including the Zainab Alert, Response and Recovery Act, 2020.
Experts disagree, however, about the success of such laws in practice and whether further institutional reforms are needed to improve reporting, investigations, victim support, and timely justice. The government of Pakistan should ensure faster investigations and build child protection units. The government should also expand victim support services and strengthen the implementation of existing laws. Schools should implement child protection policies and conduct sessions for students to make them aware of bodily autonomy and appropriate or inappropriate touch. Parents should foster open communication so children feel safe sharing their experiences. They should also teach their children about bodily autonomy.
The media should help reduce stigma and encourage reporting on child abuse cases so no more children become victims. Society must break stereotypes and speak out against child abuse. Every headline about a murdered or abused child represents thousands more children whose suffering never makes it to newspapers, television screens, social media, or police records. For every case that is reported, there are many victims who remain silent due to fear, shame, threats, or the belief that no one will believe them. Too often, their stories are not told, allowing offenders to avoid accountability and to continue to abuse other children.
Pakistan cannot afford to wait for another gut-wrenching tragedy to hit national headlines before taking action against child abuse. Real progress will happen when preventing abuse is as important as punishing it, when victims feel safe to report, when institutions are held accountable for protecting children, and when society refuses to ignore warning signs. It is not the responsibility of one ministry, one public officer, one teacher, or one parent to protect children but of the nation as a whole. As long as there is a single child who cannot grow up safe, dignified, and unafraid, the question ‘Who will protect Pakistan’s children?’ will haunt our conscience after each and every tragedy.
By Abdullah Ahmad Student of Communication and Media Studies Govt. MAO Graduate College, Affiliated with the University of the Punjab
