A total of 3,630 child abuse cases were reported across Pakistan in 2025, marking an 8% increase compared with the previous year, according to new figures released by Sahil, a non-governmental organisation that monitors violence against children and women.
In a statement issued on Monday, Sahil said the data was compiled from reports published in 81 newspapers across the country, covering all four provinces as well as Islamabad Capital Territory, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
The organisation said the rise represented 266 more cases than those recorded in 2024, highlighting a worrying trend of increasing abuse. Based on the figures, more than nine children were abused every day on average during the year.
According to the report, girls accounted for 1,924 cases, making up 53% of victims, while boys were victims in 1,625 cases, or 47%. In addition, 116 cases involved newborn babies, underlining the vulnerability of even the youngest children.
Abduction Most Common Form of Abuse
Abduction emerged as the most frequently reported category, with 1,107 cases, followed by 596 cases of sodomy and 522 cases of rape. The data also recorded 365 cases of missing children, 195 cases of attempted rape, and 141 cases of attempted sodomy.
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Other serious offences included 130 cases of gang sodomy, 108 cases of gang rape, 58 cases of murder following sexual abuse, and 53 cases of child marriage.
Sahil noted that children aged 11 to 15 years were the most vulnerable age group, with boys slightly more affected than girls within this bracket. The organisation also found that acquaintances remained the most common perpetrators in cases of child sexual abuse, reinforcing concerns about abuse occurring within trusted social circles.
Punjab Reports Majority of Cases
Provincial data showed that Punjab accounted for 73% of all reported child abuse cases, followed by Sindh with 21%, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with 4%, and the remaining 2% reported from Balochistan, federal areas, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan combined.
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Encouragingly, Sahil said 82% of the reported child abuse cases were registered with police, calling it a positive indicator of improved reporting and law enforcement response, although it stressed that stronger prevention measures remain urgently needed.
Gender-Based Violence Also on the Rise
In addition to child abuse, Sahil released figures on violence against women, stating that it has been monitoring gender-based violence (GBV) cases nationwide for the past two years.
The organisation reported 7,071 cases of gender-based violence across Pakistan in 2025, reflecting a 34% increase compared with the previous year.
The data covered crimes including murder, abduction, rape, honour killing, torture, and suicide, along with a small number of cases involving transgender individuals.
The largest category was murder, with 1,546 cases, followed by 1,345 abductions and 1,169 cases of torture. The report also recorded 877 rape cases, 680 suicides, 449 injury cases, 316 incidents of harassment, 284 honour killings, and 41 acid attacks.
According to Sahil, 32% of abusers in GBV cases were acquaintances, 18% were strangers, and 12% were husbands, while the identity of the perpetrator was not mentioned in 20% of cases.
Provincial data showed Punjab accounted for 78% of GBV cases, followed by Sindh with 14%, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with 6%, and 2% from Balochistan, ICT, AJK, and Gilgit-Baltistan combined.
Sahil called for stronger legal enforcement, awareness campaigns, and community-based prevention strategies to curb rising violence against children and women across Pakistan.
