Filling legal gaps to better protect children.

The recent series of child abuse cases has once again stirred public outrage and strong condemnation. Child abuse has become a pressing issue, because behind the physical scars are lasting psychological traumas that can affect a child's entire life.

According to experts, protecting children should not only stop at dealing with incidents after they have occurred, but requires comprehensive, decisive, and timely solutions to prevent threats to children's safety early on.

The pain behind child abuse cases

Doctor examines baby NGK. Photo: Hospital

In early May 2026, public opinion was shocked by the news that a 2-year-old boy named NGK (residing in Hoa Hiep commune, Ho Chi Minh City) had been brutally abused by his own mother and her lover. Upon arrival at the hospital, K. suffered multiple injuries, including a ruptured spleen and liver, a torn pancreas, kidney damage, an old fracture of the left forearm, anemia, and blood clotting disorders. The mother confessed to repeatedly beating the child's legs, back, and head with a bamboo stick. Immediately afterward, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Investigation Agency initiated criminal proceedings and temporarily detained the two suspects for investigation into the crime of "abusing or torturing a child." As for K., after receiving stable treatment at Children's Hospital 1, he was placed under the care and care of the Ho Chi Minh City Social Work Center.

Just a few days later, public outrage continued when a video surfaced showing a 13-year-old boy in Di An ward being abused by his mother's lover. According to the mother, the man lived with her as husband and wife but were not legally married and often beat the boy whenever he was drunk. The Di An ward police have temporarily detained the suspect for investigation and to gather evidence for prosecution according to regulations.

Statistics show that in the first five months of 2026 alone, the country recorded at least 32 cases of child violence; including 12 cases of domestic violence, 20 cases of school violence and cyberbullying. The youngest victim was only 3 months old, some children had to be hospitalized in critical condition, and some were beaten by groups of children in the classroom. However, the cases brought to light are only the tip of the iceberg.

In light of numerous cases of child abuse within their own families, Dr. Le Thi Linh Trang, a psychologist at the Ho Chi Minh City Academy of Cadres, argues that many parents are confusing disciplinary action with violence. A long-standing mindset among many parents persists: "I am the father, I am the mother, I have the right to discipline my child; I am the one who teaches my child." Dr. Linh Trang herself has witnessed many cases of parents openly abusing their children, and even more dangerously, this behavior is tacitly accepted because "it's their private family matter," or "if the mother doesn't say anything, what right do I have to intervene?" According to Dr. Linh Trang, many people still blame life pressures for parental abuse. However, she believes this is a matter of morality and human character. Any act of violence against children, including by their own parents, is inhumane because abuse not only leaves physical marks but also leaves lifelong psychological wounds on the children.

Having spent many years involved in the management, protection, and care of children, Mr. Nguyen Tang Minh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, has witnessed many heartbreaking cases of child abuse. What troubles him most are the cases of children being brutally abused within their own families, in their own homes. “Many parents still use the saying ‘spare the rod and spoil the child,’ but they forget the saying ‘even a fierce tiger doesn’t eat its own cubs.’ The forms of child abuse throughout history are diverse, ranging from physical beatings and torture to psychological abuse. Many parents don’t realize that sometimes just scolding, sarcastic remarks, or threats can deeply hurt a child’s psyche, and these are also acts of abuse that need to be condemned,” Mr. Nguyen Tang Minh expressed his opinion.

From the perspective of the management unit, the Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health stated that Ho Chi Minh City has pioneered the implementation of a one-stop model to support women and children who have been victims of violence, located at Hung Vuong Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital, Children's Hospital 1, and the Orthopedic and Trauma Hospital. Immediately after receiving cases, abused children and women are taken to temporary shelters at the City Social Work Center, where appropriate support solutions are provided. The city has also established a hotline (1022) to receive reports related to child-related issues and handle them according to the law.

Prevent child abuse before it happens.

According to lawyer Nguyen Trung Tin, of the Lawyers' Branch of the Ho Chi Minh City Association for the Protection of Children's Rights, the current legal system for child protection is quite comprehensive; however, the gap between legal regulations and real-life situations remains significant. Many regulations, when applied, are not substantive or closely aligned with the specific circumstances of children and their families. Furthermore, the current workforce of specialized personnel at the grassroots level is still weak and insufficient, leading to confusion and delays in handling cases of child abuse and violence. Even the national child protection hotline 111 is not yet effective. There have been cases where people called the hotline to report child abuse, but the counselors required clear evidence of injury before referring the case to the relevant authorities. Lawyer Nguyen Trung Tin argues that current laws still focus on addressing the consequences after abuse occurs, while the mechanisms for prevention and early intervention remain weak. We need to protect children from an early age, prioritizing prevention rather than waiting for consequences to occur before intervening.

Proposing solutions, Mr. Nguyen Tang Minh, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, suggested that pre-marital education and parenting skills training should be promoted for young people. In reality, many young families embark on the journey of raising children without being equipped with basic knowledge of child psychology, positive parenting methods, how to control their own emotions, and legal regulations related to children's rights and the Law on Marriage and Family. This is the root cause of many heartbreaking cases of domestic violence and child abuse in recent times.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai Thu, former Chairwoman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs, stated: The 2016 Children's Law stipulates that children under 16 years old are legally recognized and protected by 25 basic rights; including the right to life, the right to development, and the right to protection. However, most children today are unaware of their rights, and even adults do not have a correct and complete understanding of children's rights. Therefore, to protect children, it is first necessary to raise awareness so that all citizens understand children's rights correctly and fully.

This expert also proposed building a multi-tiered child protection network; in which families, schools, authorities, and the community participate in monitoring and early detection of abnormal signs and warning signals such as: children showing injuries, exhibiting fear, or psychological changes… so that timely intervention measures can be taken. Along with that, the role of members of local political and social organizations in monitoring and enforcing children's rights should be promoted. “No one protects children better than those living around them, and it is they who will detect, speak out, and prevent acts of violence against children, even when the child is abused by their own relatives, because at this point it is no longer a ‘private family matter’ but relates to children's rights,” the former Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs stated.

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/xa-hoi/lap-khoang-trong-phap-ly-de-bao-ve-tre-em-tot-hon-20260602114014162.htm