Vietnam records 1,000 child sexual abuse cases each year

Hanoi (VNA) – More than 1,000 cases of sexual abuse against children occur in Vietnam each year and in the first quarter of 2017, 33 cases were reported, heard a forum in Hanoi on April 14.

Organised by the Vietnam Association for Protection of Child Rights (VAPCR), Child Rights Working Group (CRWG) and child rights net (CRnet), the forum aimed to collect opinions from individuals and social organisations for preventing sexual abuse and physical violence against children.

VAPCR Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa said social organisations have worked with State agencies to promptly launch preventative measures and support abused victims.

Some of their activities include offering legal consultations for families of the victims, and organising communications campaigns and life skills classes for children.

Dang Hoa Nam, Director of the Department of Children Protection and Care under the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said law need amendments to better protect children, as many regulations are not applied to the group.

Communications campaigns that encourage parents and children to reports abuse offenders are also necessary, Nam noted.

He also pointed to a lack of child protection services in Vietnam, particularly psychological treatments.

The forum proposed eight recommendations for submission to the National Assembly and Government with a view to helping improve the legal framework and policies as well as boosting the role of social organisations in the fight against child abuse.-VNA