Govt urged to give more help for sexual abuse victims

An NGO has called on the government to devote more resources for the long-term support of sexual abuse victims, saying the pandemic had made it more difficult for them to seek help.

RainLily also reported a rise in requests for assistance in recent months.

The organisation said on Tuesday that it had followed up on nearly 320 people in the first three quarters of 2021, with nearly a third of abuse victims aged 18 or younger.

“Surely it’s an upward trend, it’s because of the problem in Hong Kong now, and also the victims have decreased channels for help, so it makes them have a strong sense of isolation,” explained Linda Wong, the executive director of RainLily.

She said accommodation and counselling services are critical for these victims.

Figures from the organisation also showed that more than 40 percent of the victims were abused by a relative, and 16 percent reported having been abused by a classmate or friend.

Wong’s colleague, Albert Yau, underlined the need for long-term, comprehensive support programmes.

“Recovery or seeking help is not a one-off process or one-off decision, it’s not a short-term process, recovery is somehow a life-long process,” he said.