Child rape soars behind Covid-closed doors in Pakistan

PESHAWAR – Child sexual abuse and rapes soared in Pakistan during this year’s Covid-19 lockdown, a revelation that has sparked shock, grief and protest across major cities nationwide against a perennial problem that has intensified despite efforts to curb it. Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), an Islamabad-based nongovernmental organization, as much as a 400% spike quarter on quarter in reported child rapes, sexual assaults and often associated kidnapping cases during this year’s second quarter, coinciding with stay-home lockdown measures at the time. The report pointed out that 119 cases of child sexual abuse were reported in January-March, which increased to 576...