HK Child Abuse

Dataset Introduction

The data is obtained from the DATA.GOV.HK and provided by the Social Welfare Department. The original dataset title is “Statistics on Newly Registered Child Protection Cases, Newly Reported Spouse/Cohabitant Battering Cases and Sexual Violence Cases”.

All data from 2005 to 2023 were recorded according to the categories of Types of Harm/Maltreatment, Sex of Maltreated Child, Perpetrator’s Relationship with Maltreated Child, Ethnicity of Maltreated Child and District Where Maltreatment Incident Happened.

Data Analysis Significance

Children are key to the future development of the world, so it is essential that we focus more on their current well-being, especially those who are victims of maltreatment. By analyzing data such as the types of abuse, the gender of the abused child, and the perpetrator’s relationship with the child, both the government and society can implement more effective preventive and corrective measures.

Research Questions

Q1: How does the number of abused children change each year?

Q2: Which types of abuse of children are the most common each year?

Q3: What is the average percentage of gender of abused child in all the survey years?

Q4: What is the percentage of each type of abusers in the most recent year?

Key Findings

Child Abuse Cases Increase, Notably in 2020-2021

The number of child abuse cases has shown a fluctuating upward trend from 2005 to 2023. In 2005, there were 763 cases, while by 2023, the number had risen to 1457. Notably, Between 2020 and 2021, the data increased significantly, from 940 cases to 1367, a nearly 50% rise.

The sudden surge in data may be related to significant social changes, such as the pandemic and other major societal events. It could also be due to changes in official statistical methods. Further in-depth investigation is needed.

Physical Abuse is the Most Prevalent

Among all the years surveyed, physical abuse has consistently been the most prevalent type, followed closely by sexual abuse. Both of these categories show an upward trend over the years, similar to the overall increase in child abuse cases. Neglect ranks third, with a steady rise from 2005 to 2023. In contrast, multiple abuse and psychological abuse cases have remained relatively low and stable throughout the period.

Female Victims Consistently Outnumber Males

Females appear to be more vulnerable in cases of child abuse, with the number of abused girls consistently exceeding that of boys each year. From 2005 to 2023, the average female-to-male ratio of abused children has been 6:4, highlighting a clear gender disparity.

Parental Abuse Far Exceeds Other Perpetrators

Parents are the primary perpetrators in child abuse cases, with data reaching as high as 858 in 2023 — more than the combined total of all other types of abusers. The second and third most common categories, “schoolmate / friend / peer” and “unrelated person (including strangers)”, have similar figures, with 190 and 142 cases, respectively. The remaining 14 categories of abusers all have fewer than 100 cases.