Child Abuse

Child Abuse

A total of 1,28,531 cases of crime against children were registered during 2020, showing a decrease of 13.2% over 2019 (1,48,090 cases). In percentage terms, major crime heads under ‘Crime Against Children’ during 2020 were Kidnapping & Abduction (42.6%) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (38.8%) including child rape. The crime rate registered per lakh children population is 28.9 in 2020 in comparison with 33.2 in 2019. (Crime in India 2020)

India is said to have reported over 24 lakh instances of online child sexual abuse during three year period between 2017-20 with 80 per cent of the victims being girls below the age of 14 years. 

A study on Child Abuse: India 2007, conducted by Ministry of Women and Child development (GOI) revealed that across different kinds of abuse, it is young children in the 5-12 year group are most at risk of abuse and exploitation. This involves physical, sexual as well as emotional abuse.

The study throws light on the following facts:

Physical Abuse

• Two out of every three children were physically abused.
• Out of 69% children physically abused, 54.68% were boys.
• Over 50% children were being subjected to one or the other form of physical abuse.
• Out of those children physically abused in family situations, 88.6% were physically abused by parents.
• The State of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Delhi have almost consistently reported higher rates of abuse in all forms as compared to other states.
• 50.2% children worked seven days a week.

Sexual Abuse

• 53.22% children reported having faced one or more forms of sexual abuse.
• Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar and Delhi reported the highest percentage of sexual abuse among both boys and girls.
• 21.90% child respondents reported facing severe forms of sexual abuse and 50.76% other forms of sexual abuse.
• Children in Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Delhi reported the highest incidence of sexual assault.
• 50% abuses are persons known to the child or in a position of trust and responsibility.

Emotional Abuse and Girl Child Neglect

• Every second child reported facing emotional abuse.
• Equal percentage of both girls and boys reported facing emotional abuse.
• In 83% of the cases parents were the abusers.
• 48.4% of girls wished they were boys.

Source : Ministry of Women and Child development

Related Resources

1. Posters on Child Abuse
2. The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Rules, 2020
3. Child Rights, Child Abuse and Role of Community in protecting child rights