Latest news with #MandatoryReportingofChildAbuseOrdinance
RTHK
15 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.
RTHK
a day ago
- Health
- RTHK
Trial for identifying needy elderly to start this year
Trial for identifying needy elderly to start this year Chris Sun says work is under way to link databases managed by public organisations, with the hope of identifying high-risk elderly people. Photo: RTHK A government initiative to identify vulnerable elderly individuals – and offer necessary assistance – through big data analysis could kick off with a district-based trial this year, according to labour and welfare chief Chris Sun. It will be followed by a citywide launch after smoothing out potential glitches with the system, he added. Sun emphasised that there's no time to waste as early intervention is essential to prevent tragedies. The idea of establishing an "inter-disciplinary and inter-organisation" database was first mentioned in the chief executive's Policy Address last year. The system, designed by university teams, is aimed at detecting vulnerable individuals, such as senior citizens who are ill and live alone, as well as their carers. Such cases will then be passed on to relevant authorities for follow-up. In an interview with RTHK marking three years since the John Lee administration assumed office, Sun said the system will link databases from social welfare organisations, as well as public hospitals and the Housing Authority. "Three in four senior citizens receive cash subsidies or some sort of services from the government, so authorities definitely have information about them, and where they live," he said. "Once they are in hospital, then the case is recorded on the Hospital Authority's database. But its database is not linked with ours. Once they are linked, we will know if they come from an elderly household, and if they are at risk. In this case we can send help immediately, either by instructing NGOs or community care teams." Sun hopes to conduct trials on a smaller scale within this year to iron out technical issues. Once this is done, he added, it could be expanded quickly to other districts. On a separate note, the welfare minister revealed that a guide will be published in July to help professionals from specific industries determine if they have to report cases of suspected child abuse. The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance, set to take effect in January, would compel social welfare, education and healthcare practitioners to alert authorities of incidents involving physical, psychological or sexual abuse against minors. Those who fail to comply face up to a HK$50,000 fine and three months in prison. The government is now formulating a Mandated Reporter Guide which Sun said will save time and effort for those bound by the new regulation. "They can access a website and answer a questionnaire based on what they know about the case. Whether there were bodily injuries, et cetera, et cetera, the questions are not difficult," he explained. "There are also guidelines to help them choose the correct answer. After answering all the questions the guide will tell you if the case meets the criteria for mandatory reporting."
South China Morning Post
16-03-2025
- South China Morning Post
Most Hong Kong parents unaware always calling child ‘stupid' is abuse: survey
Only one-third of Hong Kong parents recognise that constantly calling their children lazy, stupid or fat, or displaying emotional detachment can constitute child abuse, a survey by an NGO has found. Advertisement Releasing the results of its survey on Sunday, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong highlighted a critical gap in parental understanding ahead of new mandatory reporting laws and said it underscored an urgent need for more education. The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance will take effect on January 20 next year, requiring 25 professions in the education, welfare, and medical sectors to report suspected cases of child abuse, including physical, psychological and sexual, and negligence. Those convicted of an offence will face a maximum punishment of three months in jail and a HK$50,000 fine. The survey polled more than 2,500 parents of children aged below 18 in the NGO's service and school network between July and November last year. Almost 70 per cent of the parents either said they had never heard about the coming law or were unaware of its details. Advertisement A quick quiz by the NGO revealed that as many as 70 per cent had little awareness of psychological abuse, whereas more than half of respondents could correctly identify most physical and sexual abuse and negligence behaviours.
