Parental Substance Abuse and Child Sexual Exploitation in Pakistan’s Urban Slums: Mediating Role of Caregiver Neglect

This study examined the associations between paternal substance abuse (PSA), child sexual exploitation (CSE), and child emotional dysregulation (CED), with caregiver neglect (CN) as a mediator and child gender included as a control variable. Guided by Ecological Systems Theory, Attachment Theory, and Trauma Theory, the research was conducted in urban slums of Lahore, Pakistan. Data were collected from 738 male and female children aged 10–18 years who were directly exposed to paternal substance abuse. Structural equation modelling (SEM) indicated that PSA was significantly associated with both CSE and CED and was strongly linked to CN. CN significantly predicted both forms of child vulnerability and mediated the relationships between PSA and these outcomes. Additionally, when gender was statistically controlled, only negligible changes were observed in the magnitude of the relationships, while all paths remained significant and consistent in direction, indicating the robustness of the model. These findings highlight the need for integrated interventions addressing paternal substance abuse, parenting support, and child protection systems, particularly in high-risk urban slum communities.