Hong Kong child abuse case prompts calls to watch for signs of psychological harm

Psychological abuse can be hard to detect, Hong Kong welfare experts have warned, urging social workers and teachers to look for subtle changes in children’s behaviour amid outrage over a viral video showing a girl carrying heavy bags of beer as her stepfather called her “useless”.

Welfare groups said on Thursday that emotional and verbal abuse were among the most common yet least recognised forms of child abuse. Signs often emerged through changes such as social withdrawal and anxiety, they said, but the harm could be as serious as physical injury.

They urged professionals working with children to consult the Social Welfare Department even when suspected cases fell short of the serious harm threshold for mandatory reporting.

Their calls came after police on Wednesday arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of ill-treatment of a child. The previous evening, their 10-year-old daughter had been filmed carrying two heavy bags of beer at Fu Tai Estate in Tuen Mun, with her backpack torn and gaping open.

The video showed the man, who was accompanied by two other children, snatching back one of the bags and calling the girl “useless” when bystanders intervened.

The girl’s mother, 32, and stepfather, 38, remained in custody pending investigation on Thursday. The Social Welfare Department was also following up on the case.

Although the girl had no visible injuries and her stepfather claimed the heavy loads were intended to train her muscles, experts said excessive physical demands and verbal abuse could cause lasting psychological harm to children.

Maple Lau Siu-kwan, executive director of the NGO Against Child Abuse, said repeatedly making a child carry loads beyond their age or physical capacity was itself a form of abuse.

She cited Department of Health guidance suggesting that a child’s load should not exceed 10 per cent of their body weight.

“In this case, the public could already tell from common sense that this was beyond what the child could bear,” she said. “Exceeding a child’s physical capacity can endanger the body, and whether it is a one-off incident or a persistent one, it deserves our attention.”

Lau said child abuse fell into four categories – physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse and psychological harm – with the last being the most difficult to detect.

“Psychological harm comes with behavioural signs, such as anxiety or unusual unhappiness. We must stay alert and keep observing and assessing continuously, so we can help the child and identify problems early,” she said.

She urged professionals covered by the mandatory reporting ordinance, which applies to 25 categories across three sectors, to seek advice from the Social Welfare Department’s Family and Child Protective Services Units whenever they noticed warning signs.

“Even if the case may not amount to serious abuse under the ordinance, there is a good chance the child and the family need help, support and protection. The child comes first, and that is our guiding principle,” Lau said.

She also encouraged parents to adopt positive discipline and non-violent communication.

Hong Kong’s Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse Ordinance, which took effect in January this year, requires education, social welfare and healthcare professionals to report cases in which a child is suspected of suffering serious harm or being at real risk of it.

Billy Wong Wai-yuk, executive secretary of the Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights, said singling out one child for heavy chores, as in this case, reflected a common pattern in which abuse targeted one child while their siblings remained unharmed.

“Families often use the other children, who appear unharmed, as a smokescreen. Meanwhile, the abused child will almost always protect the parents when outsiders ask questions,” she said.

Wong said psychological harm was difficult to detect because children often suffered in silence for long periods, living with constant anxiety while symptoms emerged only gradually.

“Teachers and social workers may be the first to notice when grades suddenly slide, the child loses interest in everything or stays tense all day. That is the moment to step in and conduct a home visit,” she said.

“Many children feel guilty for getting so many people involved and for their parents being arrested. These situations must be approached with great care and patience, so the child feels safe and is reassured that this is not their fault.”

The girl’s school, Lutheran Tsang Shing Siu Leun School, said on Wednesday that social workers and teachers had provided counselling to the pupil and her family. The Education Bureau said it was “highly concerned” and confirmed that the school had activated its crisis management team.