Joint Position Paper from Organisations and Professionals Urges Hong Kong Government to Close Legal Loopholes in Child Sexual Abuse Laws and Strengthen Survivor Protection

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Joint Position Paper from Organisations and Professionals Urges
Hong Kong Government to Close Legal Loopholes in
Child Sexual Abuse Laws and Strengthen Survivor Protection

HONG KONG (2 April 2026) —  Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW), Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights (HKCCR), Plan International Hong Kong, and TALK Hong Kong today launched a Joint Position Paper to urge the Hong Kong Government to close legal loopholes and modernise the city’s legal framework regarding child sexual abuse. The paper has garnered the support of 32 signatories from children’s rights organisations, anti-sexual violence groups, and individual professionals.

The Joint Position Paper welcomes the Government’s commitment to completing the legislative process for the Sexual Offences Legislation (Amendment) Bill 2026 within its current term and stress the urgent need to implement the Law Reform Commission of Hong Kong’s (HKLRC) recommendations that were tabled several years ago, including equal treatment for child victim-survivors of all genders and the introduction of new offences targeting technology-facilitated sexual exploitation. However, several critical gaps remain that continue to hinder victim-survivors from being fully seen and supported by the system. Our Joint Position Paper urges the authorities to look beyond the current recommendations and align Hong Kong’s legal protections with international standards.

The Joint Position Paper highlighted four critical areas for reform:

1. Introduce the offence of ‘Persistent Child Sexual Abuse’
2. Introduce the offence of ‘Abuse of Position of Trust’
3. Create a child-focussed response within legal procedures
4. Fully implement HKLRC’s recommended reforms related to child sexual abuse

Doris Tsz-wai CHONG, Executive Director of the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, commented:

“Current laws in Hong Kong fail to address ‘persistent child sexual abuse’, forcing the system to treat long-term trauma as a series of isolated events. Empirical studies and frontline experience show that for victim-survivors of repetitive sexual abuse, the requirement to recall specific details for every single incident often becomes an impossible barrier to justice, allowing perpetrators to evade prosecution and conviction. While other jurisdictions have moved to close this gap, Hong Kong has seen no progress since the Government’s initial discussions in 2001. Hong Kong needs a discrete offence that recognises the existence of a sexually exploitative relationship over time. This shift would allow for prosecutions based on a demonstrated pattern of repetitive abuse, rather than victim-survivors’ ability to distinguish one incident from another and their particularities. The sentencing of a discrete offence that based on the pattern of abuse instead of limited charged acts also ensures the penalties reflect the gravity and criminality of persistent child sexual abuse”

Dr. Kanie Mei-kuen SIU, Chief Executive Officer of Plan International Hong Kong urged:

“Plan International Hong Kong is committed to promoting child safeguarding. Hong Kong generally follows the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in defining persons under the age of 18 as children. We must safeguard young people in all circumstances from exploitation by adults in positions of trust. While sexual activity with children under 16 is unlawful, 16- and 17-year-olds—although they have reached the legal age of consent—remain vulnerable facing adults with authority, such as teachers, social workers, coaches, or religious leaders. Research highlights that in many cases, perpetrators often rely not on physical force but on their trusted position to manipulate victims. These relationships carry inherent power imbalance, which undermines a victim’s ability to give genuine consent and creates opportunities for grooming and exploitation. Even if the parties believe the relationship is ‘genuine,’ safeguarding experts still consider it abusive, because it is an unbalanced power relationship. Plan International calls upon the Government to consider HKLRC’s Final Recommendation No. 40  — proposing legislation for the protection of young persons aged 16 or above but under 18 from the policy angle, against sexual exploitation by adults in positions of trust. Hong Kong should seize this reform opportunity to establish offences targeting sexual abuse that involves an abuse of position of trust, drawing on international practices from the UK, Canada, and Australia,  providing stronger protections for our young people.”

Billy Wai-yuk WONG, Executive Secretary of the Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights, appealed to the Government:

“Victims of child sexual abuse often suffer from excessively lengthy and intense cross-examination in court proceedings. This often leads to emotional distress, secondary harm, resulting in withdrawal, refusal to testify… which is a common occurrence. We call on the Judiciary to review the Practice Directions in relation to child sexual abuse by referencing several jurisdictions abroad which have already laid down directions, such as setting a time limit for cross-examination and must cease even if unfinished; questions asked to the child witness have to be vetted by the court beforehand; and wording used in court should be cautious, for example accusing the child witness of lying should not be allowed, etc.“

“We also recommend a trauma-informed, multidisciplinary “one-stop-shop” model for child-friendly justice, bringing together investigation and prosecution, child protection, and health services under one roof to support child victims/witnesses.”

Taura EDGAR, Founder and Chair of the Board of TALK Hong Kong, asserted:

“With 16% of children suffering from child sexual abuse in Hong Kong, we must urgently address critical gaps in Hong Kong’s child sexual offence laws to enhance protections for vulnerable children. We advocate for long-suggested reforms, including gender neutrality in legislation, a clear definition of consent, and specific offenses for grooming, persistent abuse, and abuse of power. It is the responsibility of adults to protect children, a key wish echoed by the hundreds of adult survivors we have worked with in Hong Kong. These changes are essential to create a more effective legal framework that prioritises child safety.”

While Article 34 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) mandates that all states protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, and Article 4 requires legislative and administrative measures to ensure these rights are upheld, significant gaps remain in Hong Kong’s domestic law.

The Joint Position Paper emphasises that Hong Kong must modernise its laws to bridge existing legal and procedural gaps, ensuring that relevant charges fully reflect the lived realities of survivors. We call on the Government to adopt these progressive reforms to ensure perpetrators are held accountable, and to guarantee that the path to justice for victim-survivors is no longer hindered by an outdated system.

# # # #

Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW)
Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights (HKCCR)
Plan International (HK)
TALK Hong Kong

Please also refer to:

• Recommendations for Child Sexual Offences Laws: A Joint Position Paper
• Presentation slides from the press conference (primarily in Chinese)
• Photo from the press conference (Left to right: Taura EDGAR, Doris Tsz-wai CHONG, Kanie Mei-kuen SIU, Billy Wai-yuk WONG)
• Press Release in Web, PDF, DOCX

Media Enquiries

About Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women

Since its establishment in 1997, the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women (ACSVAW) has been dedicated to raising awareness within the government and the public regarding sexual violence and the systemic challenges faced by victim-survivors. The Association established Hong Kong’s first sexual violence crisis centre and anti-sexual violence resource centre, providing essential support to survivors while actively dismantling myths and misconceptions. Beyond frontline services, the Association advocates for comprehensive legal and policy reforms, collaborating with victim-survivors to broaden the public’s imagination of justice. For more: acsvaw.org/eng

About Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights

The Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights (HKCCR) was formed in 1992 and established as an independent charitable organization in 1995. It advocates for the needs of children and monitors the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in Hong Kong to ensure children enjoy the rights to survival, protection, development, and participation in the city. HKCCR works with children, youth, professionals, civil society, and government to share knowledge and experience, and to promote the full implementation of the CRC through its services of Advocacy & Monitoring, Education & Training, and Children’s Empowerment.

For more information on the Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights, please visit https://childrenrights.org.hk.

About Plan International Hong Kong

Founded in 1937 and headquartered in the UK, Plan International is one of the world’s leading development organisations specifically focusing on children. Plan International works with children and girls in over 80 countries to help create a world where we are all equal. To do this we tackle the root causes of the challenges and inequalities that children and young girls face. We are there for children from birth until adulthood and we enable children to prepare for and respond to crises and adversity. Our programmes concentrate on making lasting improvements to quality of life in the areas of health, education, environment and livelihood. We have also been working to protect girls from discrimination and get the education, skills and support they need.  In recent years, Plan International Hong Kong has been actively developing local programmes for children and young people to advance children rights in Hong Kong.
Plan International is independent, with no religious, political or governmental affiliations.

For more information on Plan International, please visit www.plan.org.hk.

About TALK Hong Kong

TALK Hong Kong exists to prevent child sexual abuse and support survivors in Hong Kong. TALK Hong Kong began in 2019 as a peer support group, built on the belief that no one should face the trauma of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) alone. In 2023, we became an official charity, dedicated to creating a safer future for children. Through research, public awareness, and prevention training, we strive to shed light on the devastating impact of CSA and empower communities to prevent it.

致港聞版採訪主任
即時發佈

關注兒童權利及反性暴力團體就性罪行改革發表《聯合立場書》
促完善法律框架堵塞漏洞  加強保障兒童性侵受害人權益
團體呼籲當局積極跟進「持續性侵犯兒童」、「濫用受信任地位」及司法程序保護措施

2026年4月2日 —— 關注婦女性暴力協會、香港兒童權利委員會、國際培幼會（香港）以及 TALK Hong Kong發表《聯合立場書》，就本港法例及法律程序應如何進一步保障兒童性侵受害人的權益提出建議。團體促請政府填補現行法例中常被利用的漏洞，並透過修例全面加強對受害人的保障。《聯合立場書》獲 32 個關注兒童權利組織、反性暴力團體及相關專業人士的支持，一致呼籲政府積極跟進、完善本港法律框架。

《聯合立場書》樂見當局承諾在本屆任期內完成《2026年性罪行法例（修訂）條例草案》的立法程序，並強調應全面落實香港法律改革委員會（法改會）數年前提出的建議，包括對所有性別的兒童受害人給予平等對待，並增訂罪行以應對利用科技進行的性剝削。然而，現行框架仍存在多項關鍵缺失，持續阻礙受害人獲得制度的適當回應與支援。《聯合立場書》促請當局在現有建議的基礎上更進一步於修例中涵蓋合時宜並且逼切需要落實的建議，使本港的法律保障符合國際標準。

《聯合立場書》重點提出四個關鍵的改革方向：

1. 訂立「持續性侵犯兒童」的新罪行
2. 訂立「濫用受信任地位」的新罪行
3. 在法律程序中建立以「兒童為本」的應對機制
4. 全面地落實香港法律改革委員會就兒童性侵犯所提出的改革建議

關注婦女性暴力協會 總幹事 莊子慧 表示：

「本港法律現時並無針對『持續性侵犯兒童』的罪行，在現行框架及舉證要求下，只能以每個獨立性侵事件作起訴。海外實證研究及前線支援經驗顯示，受害人面對愈持續和重覆性的長期性侵犯，能夠辨識每次事件獨特情節以達到檢控要求可能性愈低。此現實情況與公眾對司法公義的期望背道而馳，相比之下，多個海外司法管轄區已修補此漏洞，本港政府亦曾於2001年於立法會提出擬訂『持續性侵犯兒童』罪行，獲關注團體的普遍支持，無奈最後不了了之。『持續性侵犯兒童』罪行聚焦於證明成年侵犯者與兒童的性剝削關係於一段時間內存在，而非每個獨立性侵事件。透過訂立相關罪行，即使受害人無法指出每次性侵事件的具體細節，但只要能夠描述特定期間內重覆發生的受虐模式，則仍可作出檢控。引入這項控罪後，罪成的量刑亦以整段性侵犯關係作考慮，而非個別幾宗性侵事件計算，以確保刑罰能反映受害人所承受創傷的真實程度與嚴重性。」

國際培幼會（香港） 總幹事 蕭美娟博士 表示：

「國際培幼會（香港）一直致力推廣社會各界守護兒童，香港一般跟隨聯合國《兒童權利公約》把18歲以下人士介定為兒童，我們必須確保在各類環境中的年輕人，不被他們所信任的人剝削。現行法例已訂明與16歲以下兒童發生性行為屬違法，雖然16、17歲青少年已符合給予『性同意』的年齡，但他們面對老師、社工、教練或宗教領袖等有權威的成年人時，仍非常脆弱。研究顯示，在許多個案中，侵犯者往往非依靠暴力，而是利用其受信任地位來操控與誘導受害人。這類關係本質上存在『權力失衡』，損害受害人給予真正『同意』的能力，並為性誘識與性剝削提供空間。即使當事人自認為是『真心交往』，兒童權利倡議者仍視之為虐待或剝削，因為成年人濫用權力與地位，成為侵犯者。培幼會在此呼籲政府積極考慮法改會最終建議第40項，從政策角度立法保護16歲或以上但未滿18歲少年人，使其不至於被處於受信任地位的成年人性剝削。香港應把握今次法律改革良機，參考英國、加拿大及澳洲的國際做法，訂立針對『濫用受信任地位』的性罪行，為我們的年輕人建立更實際、更有力的保護。」

香港兒童權利委員會 執行幹事 黃惠玉 建議：

「兒童性侵犯的受害者在法庭程序中，往往要承受冗長且嚴苛的盤問。這不僅會導致強烈情緒的困擾、二次傷害，更甚是進而引發受害者退縮或拒絕作證……這類狀況屢見不鮮。因此，我們呼籲司法機構參考海外多個已就兒童性侵案件制定並實施相關實務指引的司法管轄區，進一步加深對兒童的保護。例如：針對庭上盤問設置時間限制，確保即使盤問未完成也不得無限延長；對於向兒童證人的提問應預先經法庭審核；此外，法庭用語應予以嚴格規範，例如不得隨意質疑或指控兒童證人撒謊。」

「我們進一步建議採用以創傷知情為基礎的兒童友善司法模式，與跨專業合作形成『一站式』的支援系統，將司法程序、保護兒童機制和醫療服務整合在同一支援系統下，從而更好地保障兒童受害者及證人的福祉與權益。」

TALK Hong Kong 創辦人兼董事會主席 Taura EDGAR 強調：

「香港有高達16%的兒童曾經遭受性侵犯，我們急切地需要填補香港兒童性罪行法例中的重大漏洞，完善法律體系以加強對兒童的法律保護刻不容緩。我們多年來法律改革的建議倡議，包括推行無分性別的立法，清晰界定『性同意』的明確定義，以及針對性誘識、持續兒童性侵犯及濫用信任或權力進行性侵犯的具體罪行。成年人肩負保護兒童的責任，這亦是我們在香港所接觸的上百名曾遭受兒童性侵犯的成人倖存者所共同表達的核心訴求。這些關鍵的法律改革對於建構以保護兒童為首的法律框架至關重要。」

本港是聯合國《兒童權利公約》（UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, UNCRC）的締約政府，《公約》中第 34 條規定所有締約政府必須保護兒童免受一切形式的性剝削及性虐待，而第 4 條亦要求採取所有適當的立法、行政及其他措施，以確保這些權利得到維護。儘管如此，香港針對兒童性侵犯的法例仍然存在明顯的漏洞。

《聯合立場書》強調，香港必須透過法律改革，填補現時回應兒童性侵犯事件的法律及程序漏洞，而相關控罪必須充分和真實地反映受害人所承受的嚴重創傷。我們促請港府採納以上所提及的改革建議，確保侵犯者承擔-責任，並保障受害人尋求公義的過程不再受過時的法律和制度阻礙。

＃＃＃＃

關注婦女性暴力協會
香港兒童權利委員會
國際培幼會（香港）
TALK Hong Kong

請同時參閱：

• Recommendations for Child Sexual Offence Laws: A Joint Position Paper（只備英文版）
• 發佈會投影片
• 發佈會照片（左起：Taura EDGAR、莊子慧、蕭美娟、黃惠玉）
• 新聞稿（Web, PDF, DOCX）

 傳媒聯絡：

關於 關注婦女性暴力協會

關注婦女性暴力協會自1997年創立以來，一直致力使政府及公眾人士正視性暴力與性暴力受害人所面對的處境。協會先後成立本港首間性暴力危機支援中心及反性暴力資源中心，以提供適切支援及回應社會對性暴力的迷思與誤解。協會同時透過與性暴力倖存者共同發聲，積極倡議法律及政策改革，並攜手合作擴闊公眾對公義的想象。

性暴力新聞涉及心理創傷及具高度敏感性，應格外審慎處理。協會建議傳媒於性暴力新聞中加入「內容提示」及求助資訊。《報道性暴力創傷的報道指南》提供詞彙解釋、數據參考及訪問建議，協助傳媒報道性暴力議題。了解更多：sv-news.acsvaw.org

關於 香港兒童權利委員會

香港兒童權利委員會成立於1992年，並於1995年註冊成為獨立的慈善機構。我們為兒童的需要倡議，並著力監察聯合國《兒童權利公約》在香港的執行情況，以確保兒童在我們的城市裡可享有存活、受保護、發展和參與的權利。香港兒童權利委員會與兒童、青少年、專業人士、民間社會及政府合作，分享我們的知識和經驗；並透過倡議和監察、教育和培訓，及兒童參與來推動《兒童權利公約》的落實。

有關香港兒童權利委員會資料，可瀏覽網頁 https://childrenrights.org.hk。

關於 國際培幼會 (香港)

國際培幼會於 1937年成立，總部設於英國，是全球其中一個規模最大的國際兒童慈善機構。我們在全球超過80個國家工作，與兒童及女孩共同努力，致力創造一個平等世界。我們與兒童並肩，與他們應對成長路上的逆境與危機，從根源解決女童和弱勢兒童面對的挑戰和不平等。計劃主要集中在兒童健康、教育、環境及生計方面，持久長遠地改善孩子的生活素質。培幼會亦一直致力幫助更多女孩免受歧視，獲得所需的教育、技能和支援。近年更積極開拓本地兒童及青年項目，致力提升本地兒童權益。
國際培幼會是一個獨立的慈善機構，不涉及任何宗教、政治或政府背景。
有關國際培幼會資料，可瀏覽網頁 www.plan.org.hk。

關於 TALK Hong Kong

TALK Hong Kong 旨在防止兒童性侵犯及為香港倖存者提供支援。TALK Hong Kong 成立於 2019 年，最初為同路人支援小組，理念是沒有人應該獨自面對兒童性侵犯帶來的創傷。2023 年，我們正式註冊為慈善機構，致力為孩子創造更安全的未來。透過研究、提升公眾對議題的關注及預防培訓，我們致力揭示兒童性侵害所造成的毀滅性影響，並賦予社區力量以預防悲劇發生。