Pakistan does not have an awareness problem about child abuse so much as a readiness problem. Most people already know that cases are rising and that the offender is usually someone the child knows, but few know the right first response, where to report, or who can help.
Stigma, embarrassment, and the belief that “it will not happen to us” keep that knowledge from turning into action. Consequently, awareness campaigns must now move from simply telling people the problem exists to giving them the words, tools, and confidence to respond effectively.
Executive Synopsis
In September 2026, Dil & Dastaan surveyed its community using twenty-eight targeted questions on child safety: evaluating what people know, what they have taught the children close to them, what actions they would take if something went wrong, and what systemic barriers hold them back. Seventy-six respondents participated in the study.
The empirical results demonstrate a clear pattern. Awareness of baseline facts is exceptionally high:
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96 per cent believe child abuse cases in Pakistan are rising.
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93 per cent recognise that boys are at equal risk.
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88 per cent know the offender is usually someone known to the child.
However, practical readiness to act is significantly lower. Only 41 per cent know the correct first step if a child discloses an incident, 32 per cent know where to formally report it, and a mere 18 per cent know of a dedicated helpline, non-governmental organisation, or specific protective law. Overall, more than half of all respondents could not provide a positive answer to any of these three core readiness questions.
Social Stigma and At-Home Safety Dynamics
The research highlights precisely why this action gap persists, identifying social stigma as the primary obstacle. 87 per cent of respondents fear social stigma or family pressure if they were to file an official complaint (with 51 per cent expressing severe concern). Furthermore, respondents noted that parents avoid these essential conversations primarily out of embarrassment (29 per cent) or the entrenched belief that it will not happen to their family (26 per cent).
Examining protective measures within the household reveals notable discrepancies between verbal warnings and digital safeguarding:
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76 per cent of respondents have taught children not to keep secrets.
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57 per cent have discussed safe and unsafe touch.
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26 per cent have configured parental controls on a child’s digital device.
The online environment represents the least protected domain. 28 per cent of respondents were unaware that parental control software exists. Crucially, adolescents aged 16 to 18 are the most likely to own a personal smartphone, yet are the least likely to have parents who monitor or know whom they communicate with online.
Finally, while parents are more likely than older siblings to have initiated conversations about safe and unsafe touch, they are no more likely to know where to report an offence — illustrating that discussing safety concepts and being operationally prepared to act remain two distinct capabilities.
Feedback for the Writer
Dear writer, your article has been reviewed and it is currently under the publication process; however, for future publications, focus on writing out statistical percentages in words (e.g., “96 per cent” and “51 per cent”), spelling out small numbers in narrative prose (such as “twenty-eight questions”), ensuring consistent British English spelling conventions (such as “recognise” and “organisation”), and expanding brief executive summaries into full narrative sections with distinct thematic subheadings to give your empirical research reports maximum editorial impact. Happy writing!