Concerted efforts and much tougher penalties are needed to prevent sexual abuse of children, a HCM City leader has said.

Nearly two in three married women, or almost 63%, have experienced one or more forms of physical, sexual, emotional and economic violence and controlling behaviours by their husbands in their lifetime, a study has found.

The Department of Information and Communications of central Da Nang city on June 29 commissioned a hotline to support the protection of children and adolescents from sexual abuse.

Nearly 50 per cent of adults do not know what is governed by the Law on Children, according to a report released by the National Assembly’s supervision delegation on Monday. 

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched in May 2006 by the US Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

While efforts are being made to prevent violence against children, much more work still needs to be done.

Many middle-aged Vietnamese people I know have very weird names.