AMERICA/COLOMBIA - Sexual abuse and child maltreatment: 16 victims a day

Wednesday, 21 August 2013

Medellin (Agenzia Fides) - During the first five months of 2013 2,456 cases of sexual abuse on minors, 16 victims a day were recorded. This is what is said in a complaint on behalf of the Institute of Forensic Medicine which also highlighted that assaults are perpetrated by the children’s parents. Fathers carry out 33% of the assaults, 28% by their mothers, and 9% by stepfathers. The phenomenon continues to increase and 70% of cases go unpunished because they are not reported. According to the leaders of the local Foundation for the protection of Child Pandi, it lacks the support from the Government. In Colombia there are no places of assistance for single mum workers who do not know where to leave their children. However, sexual abuse is not the only form of violence. Alarming figures are also recorded regarding abuse of all kinds, research has denounced 728 regarding children from zero to four years of age. As for the age group ranging from 5 to 9, 1,115 cases of child abuse were recorded. 6,949 among children from 10 to 14 years of age, and 15,523 among adolescents from 15 to 17. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 21/08/2013)


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