Physical abuse emerged as a primary concern across social support systems in September 2026, featuring prominently in both child violence and domestic abuse cases handled by the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare.
The ministry received and attended to 231 total cases during the month, with physical abuse accounting for 29 incidents against children and 26 cases of gender-based and domestic violence. Overall, cases involving child violence and gender-based abuse formed the vast majority of all reported matters.
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Violence against children comprised the single largest category with 88 reported cases, equally split between 44 boys and 44 girls.
Following physical abuse (29 cases: 15 boys and 14 girls), child-related cases were driven by neglect (16 cases: 9 boys and 7 girls), sexual abuse (15 cases: 3 boys and 12 girls), and witnesses to domestic violence (12 cases: 8 boys and 4 girls).
Gender-based and domestic violence accounted for 51 cases, predominantly affecting female victims (41 cases). Aside from physical abuse (26 cases: 6 males, 20 females), this category included emotional and verbal abuse (15 cases: 2 males and 13 females), sexual violence (2 females), and harassment (1 male).
According to the Ministry’s statistics, they also attended to 21 family issues such as parenting and access disputes alongside 16 child behavioural cases and 11 community care cases for elderly individuals, persons with disabilities, and families requiring food aid.
To manage incoming cases and deliver intervention services throughout September, authorities operated an extensive support network:
- Helpline Inquiries: The Child Helpline (1412) logged 1,412 calls—primarily from adults (1,305)—while the Social Service Helpline (1421) recorded 1,421 calls.
- Interventions & Care: Officials conducted 188 counselling sessions, 29 parenting sessions, and 4 island case visits, while managing 154 children under state care and successfully reintegrating 2 children with their families.
2026 ވަނަ އަހަރުގެ ސެޕްޓެންބަރު މަހު މި ވުޒާރާއަށް ހުށަހަޅާފައިވާ ކުޑަކުދިންނާއި އަންހެނުން އަދި ނާޒުކު ހާލަތްތަކުގައިވާ ފަރާތްތަކާ ގުޅޭ މައްސަލަތަކުގެ ތަފާސްހިސާބުތައް. https://t.co/HmFpLEcOOx— Social and Family Development (@SFdevelopmentMV) October 21, 2026
