ISLAMABAD, July 29: Over 5,200 children were subjected to victimisation across Pakistan last year, says a report on the condition of children in the country.

The State of Pakistan’s Children 2007 prepared by the Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) says that in the year 2006, the number of child abuse cases was 4,386 which increased by about 900 in 2007.

According to the report, Punjab tops the list in cases of child abuse, followed by Sindh and the NWFP. Balochistan has the lowest number of child victimisation cases.

According to the province-wife break-up, 3,051 children were victimised in Punjab; 1,443 in Sindh, 549 in NWFP and 225 in Balochistan.

Cases of child kidnapping increased to 324, of police torture to 241 and of suicides to 520 in the year 2007.

The report says that 726 children were murdered; 387 female and 305 male children were sexually assaulted; 366 children were victims of physical torture; 85 were punished under karo-kari, 1,084 were kidnapped and 1,230 went missing.

According to the report, there is an increase of 4.1 per cent in cases of victimisation of boys. The number of girl victims is, however, much higher. Among the victims, 69 per cent are girls.

The report claims that on an average, excluding cases of abduction, 3.9 children are sexually assaulted a day.

The incidents of violence against and abuse of children are so widespread that any and every child may become a victim of sexual abuse, anywhere and by anyone and everyone. Abusers include literate, illiterate, rich, poor, parents, relatives, (aunts, uncles, grandfathers, brothers, sisters), teachers, clerics, employers, strangers, neighbours, friends, domestic help, drivers, prison staff, adult prisoners. Children are abused in the safety of homes, in schools and madresshas and in parks. The ratio of abuse is, however, higher in rural areas than in town and cities.

The report also says that 80 to 90 per cent of abusers are men.