There is no one more vulnerable than a little girl, and a girl who lives in an impoverished rural area is at great risk for abuse and exploitation.
A heartbreaking reminder of the dangers facing little girls emerged this past week in the Jiangxi Province in China. A male schoolteacher, aged 62, was arrested for molesting seven girl students. The girls, aged between eight and nine, all now have sexually transmitted diseases.
This horrifying story is part of an alarming trend in children’s sexual abuse in rural China. The BBC reports that 60% of sex abuse cases happen in rural areas and 70% happen at schools.
The most at-risk are “left-behind children,” children whose parents are migrant workers. 37% of China’s children living in rural areas fall into this category. Their parents spend long stretches working away from home, and they are often left in the care of extended family. However, an absence of parents leaves children, particularly the girls, vulnerable to abuse.
She Is Safe works to bring new life to impoverished girls in rural China who are at-risk for exploitation. We provide food, clothing, allowances, and educational support to free and empower them to live lives of freedom.
Visit our Work map to learn more about our programs and support Children’s Outreach in China today!
Read the full article on the dangers facing China’s “left behind children” on the BBC’s website.