KARACHI: To tackle the growing cases of sexual abuse in Sindh. The provincial Government issued a notification to establish 27 anti-rape crisis cells across the province. The anti-rape crisis cell would be under the anti-rape act 2021 in all districts of Sindh.
The medico-legal department under the new anti-rape cell will be operational for 24 hours. As a pilot project, the first cell will be established in Police Surgeon Office, Karachi. All the victims of sexual abuse can get help from the cells.
The anti-rape crisis cell will assist men, women, children, and transgenders. As well as, the cells will conduct medico-legal certificates along with psychological and legal services to the victim. Other divisions include Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, and Shaheed Benazirabad. There will be two cells in Hyderabad, one in Sukkur, Larkana and Shaheed Benazirabad, and other districts.
Rise of Sexual Cases in Karachi
More than 200 cases of sexual abuse were reported in Karachi in 2022. As per the Karachi police statistics revealed that from 216 of the abuse cases, 8 victims were under the age of five while forty were around 6 and 10, thirty-eight were between the age of 15 to 18 and ninety-five with 18.
The rise in minor murders after rape has immensely increased. The rape-murder culture including boys and girls has increased sharply, says Dr. Summaiya Syed, Police Surgeon. As per the stats by the War Against Rape (WAR), an NGO that revealed data showed till July 42 cases including 27 victims were children below the age of 17 years were abused.
The most at-risk age groups remain at 5 to 11 years (36%) followed by 12 to 17 years (29%). However, the average age remains to be 14 years old with five being the minimum age. The larger ratio of sexual abuse includes women with 90%. The nature of the offense includes rape (68%), gang rape (18%), incest (12%), and sexual assault to be 6%.
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