Around 170 cases of child sexual abuse are prosecueted  in HCM City every year, according to the city People’s Procuracy.

Illustrative image.

Vu Thi Xuan Nhue of the Procuracy said 826 people face sexual abuse charges for crimes they committed between 2012 and 2015.

Speaking at a workshop in HCM City on Tuesday, she said since many cases are not reported, the actual number could be much higher.

Most of the abuses occurred at outlying districts like Binh Tan, Thu Duc, Cu Chi, Hoc Mon, and Binh Chanh, she said.

Lack of care among parents is to blame for the rising number of child sex abuse crimes, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Dung of the city Department of Public Security said.

He also blamed the easy access to pornographic websites.  

Nguyen Van Gia Thuy of the city Department of Education and Training said the Procuracy should co-ordinate with the Department of Public Security to disseminate information about sex education and sexual harassment crimes at schools.

“It is crucial to educate young people in protecting themselves from sexual abuse.”

VNS