Child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong nearly double over decade
The number of child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong has nearly doubled over the past decade, reaching more than 500 last year, with over one in five of the perpetrators aged 16 and below, authorities have said amid a rise in harmful incidents targeting youngsters.
Lawmakers on Wednesday called for the government to urgently address a rise in the number of younger abusers. They also asked authorities to release the guidelines for the coming mandatory reporting mechanism for suspected child abuse as soon as possible.
According to the latest figures from the Social Welfare Department, 1,504 child abuse cases were recorded last year, up from 1,457 in 2023 and 1,439 in 2022.
Last year's figure included 595 cases of physical abuse, 522 incidents of sexual abuse, 328 cases of neglect, 43 reports of multiple abuse and another 16 involving psychological abuse.
The data showed that 120 of the 542 perpetrators in sexual abuse cases last year were aged 16 and below, accounting for 22 per cent of the tally. Ninety-six of them were aged 17 to 22.
Among the perpetrators of sexual abuse, 181 were the victims' schoolmates, friends or peers.
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South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong nearly double over decade
The number of child sexual abuse cases in Hong Kong has nearly doubled over the past decade, reaching more than 500 last year, with over one in five of the perpetrators aged 16 and below, authorities have said amid a rise in harmful incidents targeting youngsters. Lawmakers on Wednesday called for the government to urgently address a rise in the number of younger abusers. They also asked authorities to release the guidelines for the coming mandatory reporting mechanism for suspected child abuse as soon as possible. According to the latest figures from the Social Welfare Department, 1,504 child abuse cases were recorded last year, up from 1,457 in 2023 and 1,439 in 2022. Last year's figure included 595 cases of physical abuse, 522 incidents of sexual abuse, 328 cases of neglect, 43 reports of multiple abuse and another 16 involving psychological abuse. The data showed that 120 of the 542 perpetrators in sexual abuse cases last year were aged 16 and below, accounting for 22 per cent of the tally. Ninety-six of them were aged 17 to 22. Among the perpetrators of sexual abuse, 181 were the victims' schoolmates, friends or peers.
RTHK
10 hours ago
- RTHK
Appeal for higher alert towards child sex abuse
Appeal for higher alert towards child sex abuse Bill Tang, right, says in sex abuse cases, the harm to victims may not be readily observed. Photo: RTHK Federation of Trade Unions lawmaker Bill Tang on Wednesday urged the public to be on the lookout for child sex abuse. His comment came after the Social Welfare Department said it recorded more than 1,500 child abuse cases last year, a slight increase compared with 2023. The latest Child Protection Registry Report also found there were 542 sex abuse cases, making it the second most common type of abuse after physical harm. Tang said sex abuse cases are much more difficult to ferret out, making it more traumatic for the victims. 'Especially in the past, for typical child abuse cases, we might think the children suffered physical harm, so we would consult a doctor and observe the children's behaviour,' he said. 'But the new trauma is that some harm cannot be easily observed – as in sexual abuse cases.' He urged all sectors, including service agencies, schools, the government and families, to raise awareness and work together on solutions. Tang cited, for example, "better family education and better cooperation and coordination between the community, families and schools' as moves in the right direction Another key move is to enhance awareness on the part of social workers and teachers to child protection, especially against sex or psychological abuse, he added. Tang also expressed concern about the number of sex offenders under the age of 16, saying that one-fifth of the perpetrators in last year's report belonged to this age group. The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance will come into effect in January. Tang, who chaired the bills committee for the new legislation, urged the government to release guidelines as soon as possible and provide training to ensure that professionals have a better understanding of how to handle suspected child abuse cases.
South China Morning Post
12 hours ago
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15 suspicious cases uncovered in Hong Kong tech voucher programme
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