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Official said the government received 176 reports of suspected child abuse in the first two quarters since Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance took effect from January 20, 2026, involving 188 children.
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According to official data, sexual abuse emerged as the most frequently cited category, accounting for 83 of the reported cases, closely followed by physical abuse with 64 cases.
Additionally, neglect-related harm made up 32 cases, psychological harm accounted for seven, and two of the cases involved multiple categories of abuse.
Authorities said they have screened all reports and taken follow-up action through multi-professional teams that assess needs and provide support in care, health, discipline and learning for affected families.
The Labour and Welfare Bureau said in a social media post that the figures show no surge in misuse or false reports, indicating the law is being implemented smoothly.
The bureau credited publicity, training and support measures for the initial success and said designated professionals are actively fulfilling their reporting duties.
The ordinance aims to boost the protection of children, by requiring social welfare, education and health care sectors to report cases where they suspect serious abuse or an actual risk of serious harm during their work.
Moving forward, the government emphasized that it will continue to raise public awareness and strengthen localized preventive efforts to proactively safeguard child welfare across the city.
