Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Neiva (Agenzia Fides) - Every day 3 children die from violent causes in Colombia. Up till January 21 of this year 101 murders of children have been recorded, and in 2012 there were 2936 reported cases of child abuse. According to the local Office of legal medicine, in the month of January 16 deaths have been caused by accidents at home and at school; 36 murders, 17 cases are still being studied, 13 committed suicide and 19 have died in road accidents. The situation is particularly serious and disturbing in the department of Huila where girls are pregnant as a result of abuse by family members. The 'Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF) reports sexual abuse (704 reported cases), psychological (122); physical (908); and negligence (694). The Fundación Restrepo Barco reports that throughout the country, 22% of cases are due to incest. Faced with the situation of el Huila, the ICBF has highlighted that cultural factors and poor literacy have a great impact. Between 1990 and 2012, about a thousand children suffered mutilation which require permanent dentures and 200 children died. In all these cases there are no criminal penalties for the perpetrators. From the 2011 Forensic report of legal Medicine, there were 1177 murders of children. The document also recorded 11,495 cases of domestic violence, 20,968 interpersonal violence, and 17,628 sexually abused. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 28/01/2013)
