The horrific nature of the abuse two minors were subjected to at the hands of their own family, has once again reiterated the nature of child sex abuse: in half of all cases, the alleged perpetrator is known to the vicitim and is more likely to be a family member. Earlier this week, a 13-year-old girl told Childline officials that she had been forced into sex work by her parents. Subsequently, it emerged that the girl’s 11-year-old sister and nine-year-old brother had been abused by their 19-year-old step-brother, with the knowledge of their parents. The National Child Abuse study of 2007 found that 50 per cent of child abusers in the country were those known to the children, and often people whom children trusted, including parents and siblings. Read : Should parents post pictures of their children on Facebook with paedophiles lurking in our midst? According to a SouthLive report, the 13-year-old victim rarely attended school and would was indifferent to her classmates. She told Childline officials about the abuse she was subjected to, when they visited her school in Malappuram district on Monday. Childline staff took her away to a government-run shelter home that very day, without informing her parents. Police arrested her mother and step-father when they arrived at the police station to file a missing complaint for the girl. They were charged under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act. Her parents had forced her into sex work three years ago. Kottakkal police station officials told The News Minute that the child was “presented by her parents to about 40 persons” and they had identified around 25 of the accused. “The mother has confessed and they took around Rs.3000 to Rs.5000 for the girl, more details will emerge in the coming days,” an official said. The day after they rescued the 13-year-old, Childline staff were in for another shock. When they visited the child’s house, her 11-year-old sister told them that she had been abused by their 19-year-old step-brother. “We have confirmed that the minor girl had been abused by her brother. He has been detained and his arrest will be recorded soon,” district Childline coordinator Anwar Karakkadan told The Times of India. Malappuram district police have arrested 12 people including the parents in the case. The girl’s mother has reportedly told the police that she forced her daughter into sex work because she wanted money. She and her second husband have five children – four minors including the three sexually abused children who have all been placed under the care of state agencies. The woman had two children with her first husband, including the 19-year-old now accused of sexual abuse. In the last few years, there have been several cases of parents sexually exploiting their children. In 2011, a man Kerala was convicted for raping his daughter at knife-point and forcing her into flesh trade. Held captive for over one-and-a-half years, it was only after the girl fled that her torment at the hands of 200 men came to light. Her father and mother were convicted for various offences along with others in what is now known as the Paravur case. In Tamil Nadu too, a similar case was reported last week in which a girl, the eldest of three daughters in her family, was repeatedly raped by her father. It was only after she sought help that she rescued and the father arrested under POCSO. Also last week, a teenager who suffered brutal physical abuse at the hands of her father and step-mother was rescued in Hyderabad. Her parents inflicted all kinds of injuries on her, they burned her with cigarettes and hot iron rods, threw acid on her, starved and given only chilli powder and salt to eat. Read : Hyderabad teenager allegedly tortured for one-and-a-half years by father, stepmother The 2007 study also showed that children who are subjected to physical abuse are more likely to suffer at the hands of people known to them, including family members.