PLS Ip

Abstract

Heightened awareness of child abuse in Hong Kong dated back to a particularly serious case in 1978. Since then a multidisciplinary approach to the problem is in place. Physical abuse is the most frequent form of abuse detected but sexual abuse, rarely reported prior to 1990, had risen to 30% of all cases in 1998. Child neglect is not often established although deaths while children are left unattended continue to occur. Psychological abuse has been difficult to identify because of its lack of concrete signs. Looking forward, Hong Kong should seriously consider mandatory reporting by professionals. Training is required in the recognition of uncommon forms of abuse. Conducting child death reviews is a means to identify preventable causes of unnatural deaths. Focus should not only be on remedial measures but also on prevention. To truly protect children in Hong Kong, we need a Child Policy, a comprehensive Child Ordinance and an independent Child Commission to ensure the policy's implementation.

在香港對兒童虐待問題的重視要追溯到 1978 年。當時有一例嚴重的案例發生。從此對這個問題開始了多方面的探討和處理。其中，最常見的虐兒個案是身體虐待；而性虐待，雖在 1990 年以前罕有報導，在 1998 年以後却上升了 30%。雖然在沒有人看管情況下兒童死亡事件一直有發生，但兒童忽視却常常不能被証實，由於缺乏具體指標，兒童受精神虐待更難確定。展望未來，香港應當嚴肅對待專業人士的依法報告，對於非常見型虐待的認識尚需專業培訓。對兒童死亡進行檢查是確定可預防的非自然死亡事件的一種方法。我們不僅要重視治療，還要注重預防。為了在香港真正做到保護兒童，我們需要有一個兒童政策，一個全面的兒童法規和獨立的兒童委員會來確保政策的實施。