THERE are thousands of children who get abused every year. Every child deserves a childhood full of happiness and love, but criminals make this impossible for them.

Many incidents of child abuse fail to get media attention as, according to an NGO report, some 11 cases of child abuse are reported from across Pakistan on a daily basis.

According to the latest figure released by Sahil, an NGO that works on child protection with a special focus on sexual abuse, a total of 1,764 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country in the first six months of 2017 alone.

In the previous year, the total number of reported child abuse cases stood at a staggering 4,139, bringing the total number of children being abused in Pakistan per day to 11.

Of the total reported cases of sexual abuse in the first six months of 2017, 45 per cent were committed by acquaintances while another 17 per cent were carried out by strangers.

A strong public and government response can mean the difference between life and death.

Mahnoor Arshad

Karachi