Child abuse in Hong Kong

Types of abuse

Any act of commission or omission that endangers or impairs the physical/psychological health and development of an individual under the age of 18 is considered child abuse.

Child abuse often goes unreported

Hong Kong reported 940 and 1,367 child abuse cases in 2020 and 2021 respectively. Hong Kong’s Child Protection Registry estimates that for every case, 99 are unreported. In 65 per cent of cases, the parent is the abuser.

In Hong Kong, social workers and child protection groups reported a rise in child abuse cases during the pandemic, with more children falling victim to neglect and harm. Authorities speculate the increase could be linked to the pandemic’s pressures on people.

Consequences

Maltreatment of a child causes extreme stress that can impair the development of the nervous and immune systems. Consequently, adults who were maltreated as children are at increased risk for behavioural, physical and mental health problems such as ...