Sohail Amir Humza, Maan Muhammad Hassaan Arif, Sohail Sachal
Department of Surgery, New York University Winthrop Hospital, New York, USA.
Medical College, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, Karachi, Pakistan.
Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2021 Nov 13;15(1):65. doi: 10.1186/s13034-021-00420-3.
About two million children live on the streets in Pakistan. Their complicated past and dire living conditions make them susceptible to many psychological and physical problems, including sexual abuse.
With little research on the topic, the prevalence of sexual intercourse among street children is reported to be as high as 88% in Pakistan. With commercial sex a common practice among the street children, public places such as bus terminals and parks have become foci of prostitution and sexual exploitation. A growing concern is the spread of HIV/AIDS among the affected children due to a general lack of awareness about the disease and its prevention and high prevalence of unsafe sexual practices. The generally apathetic attitude of the society towards this issue and the affected children, combined with a lack of commitment and limited resource allocation by the government, has contributed in deteriorating the situation further.
A comprehensive multi-pronged strategy involving government, societal and international stakeholders is crucial to tackle the current crisis.
在巴基斯坦，约有两百万儿童流落街头。他们复杂的过往和恶劣的生活条件使他们易患诸多心理和生理问题，包括遭受性虐待。
由于对该主题研究甚少，据报道，巴基斯坦街头儿童的性交发生率高达88%。商业性行为在街头儿童中屡见不鲜，公交终点站和公园等公共场所已成为卖淫和性剥削的中心。一个日益令人担忧的问题是，由于对艾滋病缺乏普遍认识及其预防措施，以及不安全的性行为盛行，艾滋病毒/艾滋病在受影响儿童中蔓延。社会对这一问题及受影响儿童普遍冷漠的态度，再加上政府缺乏承诺和资源分配有限，导致情况进一步恶化。
政府、社会和国际利益相关者共同参与的全面多管齐下战略对于应对当前危机至关重要。
