From just 87 in 2009 to 1,648 in 2019, cases of child sexual abuse inOdishahave seen a staggering 1,794% rise in the last one decade, according to the nationwide data shared by the Union minister of women and child developmentSmriti Iraniin theLok Sabha.

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Experts attributed the rise in the sexual assaults on children to the sick mindset of perpetrators, inadequate vigilance by parents and lack of Police action in many cases.