Child abuse cases hit three-year high: report

Hong Kong saw its highest number of child abuse cases in three years, with 1,504 new cases registered in 2024, according to a recent report by the Social Welfare Department.

This marks an increase of 47 cases compared to the previous year.  

The report revealed that girls accounted for 60 percent of all abuse victims, with sexual assault being the most common form of abuse they suffered. Among the 522 cases involving girls, 455 were sexual assaults, including nine children aged five or younger—one as young as under two years old. The most vulnerable age group was 12 to 14-year-olds, making up 30 percent of all cases, with 252 of them experiencing sexual abuse. Disturbingly, 20 percent of sexual offenders were aged 16 or younger, and most were male.  

Physical abuse most common form of maltreatment

Physical harm was the most frequently reported type of abuse, with 595 cases, representing nearly 40 percent of all incidents. Boys were more likely to experience physical abuse, making up 58 percent of such cases. Nearly 90 percent of abused children were of Chinese ethnicity, while 22 were from minority backgrounds, including Indonesian, Filipino, and Indian communities. The report also noted that children with hyperactivity disorder or attention deficit disorder faced a higher risk of physical, psychological, or multiple forms of abuse, accounting for about 20 percent of cases.  

Yuen Long reports highest number of cases

Yuen Long had the highest number of child abuse cases at 190, followed by Tuen Mun with 152 and Kwun Tong with 142. When adjusted for population size, Tuen Mun had the highest rate at 2.26 cases per 1,000 children, while Wan Chai had the lowest with only five cases, representing just 0.3 percent of the total.  

The report highlighted that perpetrators’ emotional or psychological issues played a role in 62.4 percent of cases, along with poor parenting skills. Substance abuse was linked to 195 cases. Financial hardship, unemployment, and lack of family support were also major contributing factors, as were children’s behavioral challenges and special educational needs.

(Khan Heeba Lazmi)