Most Hong Kong parents unaware always calling child ‘stupid’ is abuse: survey

Chinese YMCA says survey results highlight critical gap in parental understanding ahead of new mandatory child abuse reporting laws

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Albert So (left), Phoebe See and the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong’s Issac Yeung reveal the finding of the survey. Photo: Emily Hung

Published: 10:08pm, 16 Mar 2025Updated: 7:16am, 17 Mar 2025

Only one-third of Hong Kong parents recognise that constantly calling their children lazy, stupid or fat, or displaying emotional detachment can constitute child abuse, a survey by an NGO has found.

Releasing the results of its survey on Sunday, the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong highlighted a critical gap in parental understanding ahead of new mandatory reporting laws and said it underscored an urgent need for more education.

The Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance will take effect on January 20 next year, requiring 25 professions in the education, welfare and medical sectors to report suspected cases of child abuse, including physical, psychological and sexual, and negligence.

Those convicted of an offence will face a maximum punishment of three months in jail and a HK$50,000 fine.

The survey polled more than 2,500 parents of children aged below 18 in the NGO’s service and school network between July and November last year. Almost 70 per cent of the parents either said they had never heard about the coming law or were unaware of its details.

A quick quiz by the NGO revealed that as many as 70 per cent had little awareness of psychological abuse, whereas more than half of respondents could correctly identify most physical and sexual abuse and negligence behaviours.