HCM City (VNS/VNA) —༒ Concerted efforts and much tougher penalties areneeded to prevent sexual abuse of children, a Ho Chi Minh City leader hassaid.

Most cases ofabuse were perpetrated by family members or caregivers, Vo Van Hoan,deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of the country’s biggest city, told arecent meeting to review the 2012-20 National Action Programme for Children. The abuse could havelong-term behavioural, developmental and mental health problems, he said. It was critical toeducate the public about identifying, preventing, and blowing the whistleon sexual abuse to ensure children are protected, he said. He instructed the policeto quickly investigate complaints about sexual abuse or assault of children andmake public the offenders’ identity. A hotline should be setup for victims, and concerted efforts by various agencies were needed torespond rapidly to any incident, he said. Ngo Xuan Tho, deputyhead of the city police department’s criminal investigation office, said 790cases of child sexual abuse were reported in 2012-20. Cu Chi District led with117 of them, followed by District 9 with 109 and Binh Chanh with 98, he said. Around 44 percent ofthem were perpetrated by neighbours and others knownto the victims and 42 percent by people normally expected to have anintimate relationship with the victims, he said. Relatives accounted for3 percent.  The number of unreportedinstances was huge since the offenders are relatives or have other close tieswith the victims’ families, he said./.