85 Cases of Violence Against Children Reported in December 2025
Physical abuse ranked as the second most reported form of violence, with 15 cases recorded during the month. | Photo: MV+
The Ministry of Social and Family Development reported 85 cases of violence against children in December 2025, with negligence emerging as the most common issue.
According to the ministry’s December report, negligence accounted for 25 cases. Of these, 10 involved boys, 14 involved girls, while the gender of one child was not specified.
Physical abuse ranked as the second most reported form of violence, with 15 cases recorded during the month. The majority of these cases involved boys, accounting for 13 incidents, while two cases involved girls.
The ministry also attended to 14 cases of sexual abuse and 11 cases involving children who witnessed domestic violence. Emotional abuse was reported in six cases, while three cases each involved cyberbullying and bullying.
In addition, the report recorded two cases each of blackmail, sexual grooming of children, and harassment. One case each of exploitation and child abandonment was also reported in December.
Overall, the ministry reported that 40 cases involved girls, 44 involved boys, and one involved a child of unspecified gender.
In addition to violence-related cases, the ministry attended to 13 cases categorised as family issues during the same period. Custody disputes were the most frequently reported family issue, with four cases involving two boys and two girls.
The report also recorded three cases related to access to children, one case concerning parenting issues, and five cases classified under other family-related matters.
