XN000022-1996-03-13 — Page 61

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Upward trend in child abuse cases

Following is a question by the Hon Ip Kwok-him and a written reply by the Secretary for Health and Welfare, Mrs Katherine Fok, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Recently, there has been an upward trend in the number of sex abuse cases on children and the extent of sex abuse is also becoming more and more serious. In view of this, will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

of the reasons for the upward trend in such cases;

(b)

(c)

whether it is a common phenomenon that such cases go unreported because the abusers and the abused are direct relatives; and

whether, apart from the establishment of the special investigation team by the Police and the Social Welfare Department in December, any specific measures have been put in place to help the abused children?

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

The number of child sexual abuse cases handled by the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) increased from 61 in 1993 to 77 in 1994 and 116 in 1995. The rising trend is probably mainly due to enhanced public education and publicity efforts by the Government in recent years to promote early identification and reporting of child abuse cases.

In the past, children were usually reluctant to disclose incidents of abuse perpetrated by family members. It is also possible that abusers were not necessarily aware that their treatment of their children could be termed abuse. Reporting of child abuse by family members was, therefore, not common. The situation, however, is improving. Of the child sexual abuse cases handled by SWD and NGOs in 1994, 18% were reported by the child or a member of his/her family. In 1995, this increased to 23%. It is anticipated that the situation will further improve as a result of continuing public education and publicity programmes.

Apart from the establishment of the Child Protection Special Investigation Team, the Government has also put in place the following measures to help abused children: