Workplace violence and abuse against children continues unabated

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of a distressing incident involving violence against 14-year-old maid Rizwanana, allegedly by the wife of a sessions judge in Islamabad, the Hum Investigation Team (HIT) has investigated how many such incidents have occurred since 2018.

The investigation revealed that 15 cases of violence and sexual abuse are being registered daily on average across Pakistan.

The Human Rights Ministry and Sahil reports have spotlighted the extent of workplace violence and sexual abuse against children, shedding light on a deeply concerning issue.

In 2018, the figures stood at a staggering 5,048 cases of sexual violence and workplace harassment, a number that remained distressingly high with 4,751 cases in 2019, 4,276 cases in 2020, 2,078 cases in 2021, and 4,253 cases in 2022.

The numbers continue to paint a grim picture, with 1,853 cases of violence and sexual abuse against children occurring in the first seven months of the current year.

These records also highlight the geographical distribution of this crisis. In 2018, Punjab reported the highest number of incidents (3,496), trailed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (1,164) and Sindh (328).
Correspondingly, the records indicate that there were 4,326 reported rape cases during the same year.
This pattern persisted, as Punjab led the figures in 2019 with 4,089 cases, followed by Sindh (346) and KP (259), with 4,377 reported rape cases during the year.

The trend continued in 2020, with Punjab again taking the lead (3,250), followed by Sindh (386) and KP (299), with 3,887 reported rapes.

Among the cities grappling with the highest number of child violence cases, Faisalabad stands out. In addition, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Kasur, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Vehari, and Gujrat find their names in the list of top ten districts that registered the most child violence cases.

Rizwana Akhtar, General Manager Programme Sahil, pointed out that certain abusers hail from influential sectors of society such as the judiciary, police, and schools, garnering attention due to their roles in protection and justice. She also emphasized that media amplification plays a role in elevating certain cases.

Rizwana said that the implementation of child labour laws, sensitisation of employers and parents on child rights, monitoring by the labour Department, and prompt reporting to the police are critical in curbing child violence at workplaces.

She further called for child protection policies, social protection programs, advocacy campaigns, and a comprehensive understanding of the issue through research and data collection. These steps, she believes, are essential in addressing the underlying causes and patterns of child labor and violence.