176 cases of suspected child abuse in first 5 months of new reporting regime
Cases involve 188 children, with 44 per cent suspected victims of sexual abuse as Hong Kong welfare chief says system improves child protection
Hong Kong authorities have recorded 176 reports of suspected child abuse involving 188 minors in just over five months since the city’s mandatory reporting regime came into effect, with nearly half of the children possibly victims of sexual abuse.
Secretary for Labour and Welfare Chris Sun Yuk-han on Thursday revealed the number of reports logged by the end of last month since the requirement for 25 professions to report serious suspected child abuse took effect on January 20.
Out of the 188 children allegedly harmed in the 176 reports under the mechanism, 83 minors were feared to be victims of sexual abuse, accounting for 44 per cent of the total.
This was followed by 64 children who were suspected victims of physical abuse, 32 of neglect, seven of psychological abuse and two of multiple types of abuse.
Sun said the mandatory reporting requirement provided a more effective safety net for children, adding that authorities had conducted case screenings and taken appropriate follow-up action on all the reports.
“The number of reports for the first two quarters showed that there had been no large-scale abusive or false reporting since the mandatory reporting requirement took effect, reflecting the smooth implementation of the ordinance and the initial effectiveness of the government’s various publicity, training and support measures,” he said in a social media post.
Sun added that the professionals had fulfilled their reporting responsibilities and collaborated to provide support for suspected victims of child abuse and their families, strengthening protection for children.