Sahil Report Reveals More Than 9 Children Abused Daily in 2025, 3,630 Cases Reported

Islamabad: A comprehensive media monitoring report for 2025 reveals alarming levels of child abuse and gender-based violence across Pakistan, highlighting both the scale of the problem and significant patterns in victims, perpetrators, and geographic distribution.

Over 3,600 Child Abuse Cases Reported in 2025

According to the data compiled from 81 newspapers, a total of 3,630 child abuse cases were reported during 2025. These cases were recorded from all four provinces, as well as the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), and Gilgit Baltistan (GB).

The figures indicate that more than nine children were abused every day in 2025, underscoring the persistent threat faced by minors across the country. Compared to 2024, the number of reported cases increased by 8 percent, representing 266 additional victims.

Gender Breakdown of Victims

The gender analysis of victims shows a near-equal distribution with a slight majority of girls affected. Out of the total cases:

• 1,924 victims (53%) were girls

• 1,625 victims (47%) were boys

• 116 cases involved newborn babies

The data suggests that child abuse affects both genders significantly, though girls remain slightly more vulnerable overall.

Age Group Most at Risk

Age-based analysis indicates that children between 11 and 15 years are the most vulnerable to abuse. Within this group, boys appear more frequently as victims than girls, highlighting a notable trend in victim demographics for this age bracket.

Major Categories of Child Abuse Crimes

The reported cases span several categories of crimes. The most common categories recorded in 2025 include:

• Abduction: 1,107 cases

• Sodomy: 596 cases

• Rape: 522 cases

• Missing children: 365 cases

• Attempted rape: 195 cases

• Attempted sodomy: 141 cases

• Gang sodomy: 130 cases

• Gang rape: 108 cases

• Murder after sexual abuse: 58 cases

• Child marriages: 53 cases

Among these, abduction emerged as the largest category, accounting for more than a thousand incidents. Sexual violence-related crimes, including sodomy, rape, and their attempted or gang-related forms, collectively make up a substantial portion of the reported cases.

Acquaintances Remain the Most Common Abusers

The “Cruel Numbers 2025” analysis of perpetrators indicates that acquaintances continue to be the most commonly involved individuals in child sexual abuse cases, reinforcing concerns that many victims are harmed by people known to them rather than strangers.

Provincial Distribution of Child Abuse Cases

Geographical analysis shows a strong concentration of cases in Pakistan’s most populous province. Out of the 3,630 reported cases:

• 73% were reported from Punjab

• 21% from Sindh

• 4% from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• 2% from Balochistan, ICT, AJK, and Gilgit Baltistan combined

Punjab’s high share of reported incidents reflects a major concentration of cases compared to other regions.

Police Registration of Cases

The report notes that 82 percent of the reported child abuse cases were registered with the police, which is considered a positive indicator of active law-enforcement response in addressing such incidents.

Gender-Based Violence Cases Rise by 34%

In addition to child abuse monitoring, the organization Sahil has tracked Violence Against Women cases over the past two years. Its 2025 Gender-Based Violence (GBV) data reveals a total of 7,071 cases reported nationwide, covering multiple forms of violence.

This year’s data also includes a small number of cases involving transgender individuals.

Compared with previous data, the report records a 34 percent increase in gender-based violence cases, signaling a significant rise in reported incidents across the country.

Breakdown of GBV Cases

The 7,071 reported cases include several forms of violence:

• Murder: 1,546 cases

• Abduction: 1,345 cases

• Torture: 1,169 cases

• Rape: 877 cases

• Suicide: 680 cases

• Injuries: 449 cases

• Harassment: 316 cases

• Honor killing: 284 cases

• Acid attacks: 41 cases

Among these categories, murder, abduction, and torture collectively represent the largest share of cases, reflecting the severity and diversity of violence faced by victims.

Relationship Between Victims and Abusers

The report also analyzes the relationship between victims and perpetrators in gender-based violence cases. According to the findings:

• 32% of perpetrators were acquaintances

• 18% were strangers

• 12% were husbands

• 20% of cases did not mention the relationship

This distribution indicates that a substantial portion of violence occurs within familiar social circles.

Provincial Distribution of GBV Cases

The provincial breakdown of the 7,071 GBV cases shows a similar geographic pattern to the child abuse data:

• 78% reported from Punjab

• 14% from Sindh

• 6% from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

• 2% from Balochistan, ICT, AJK, and Gilgit Baltistan combined

The data highlights a clear concentration of gender-based violence cases in Punjab, with significantly fewer cases reported from other regions.

A Concerning National Trend

The combined analysis of child abuse and gender-based violence data for 2025 reveals two key trends: a continued rise in reported cases and a persistent pattern of abuse involving acquaintances or individuals known to victims.

With thousands of incidents reported across the country, the data underscores the scale of violence affecting vulnerable groups and highlights the need for continued monitoring, reporting, and institutional response.