Rising Shadows: Child and Gender-based Violence Surge in Pakistan

In 2025, Pakistan saw a significant rise in reported child abuse cases, escalating by 8% from the previous year, according to Sahil, a monitoring non-profit. Abduction and sexual crimes were prominent, and most incidents occurred in Punjab. Gender-based violence (GBV) also surged by 34%, with murder as the leading crime.

In a troubling trend, Pakistan reported 3,630 cases of child abuse in 2025, an alarming 8% increase from the prior year, Sahil, an Islamabad-based non-profit organization, revealed Monday.

The data indicated an average of over nine cases per day, with abductions constituting the highest number of incidents at 1,107 reports. The report further stated that Punjab province was the epicenter, accounting for 73% of the total cases.

The year also saw a steep 34% rise in gender-based violence cases, totaling 7,071. With murders leading the tally, the need for robust intervention is more urgent than ever, Sahil highlighted in its annual release, pointing to the persisting societal and safety challenges.

(With inputs from agencies.)