Violence Against Children Cases Rise in February After January Decline, Ministry Reports
Neglect remained the most commonly reported form of abuse in February, mirroring January statistics. | Photo: MV+
Cases involving violence against children increased in February following a dip in January, according to statistics released by the Ministry of Social and Family Development.
The ministry recorded 74 cases in February, up from 64 cases reported in January. The January figure had marked a decline of 21 cases from December 2025, when 85 cases were recorded.
Neglect remained the most commonly reported form of abuse. In February, 21 cases were linked to neglect, including 12 involving boys and nine involving girls. The trend was consistent with January, when neglect accounted for 30 cases—the highest among all categories.
A breakdown of February data shows 13 cases of sexual abuse, 12 cases of physical abuse, and 11 cases of psychological harm. There were also nine cases where children were made to witness abuse. Additional reports included cases of bullying, exploitation, sexual grooming, blackmail, and one case involving explicit video content of children.
Overall, 40 cases reported in February involved boys, while 34 involved girls.
The ministry also recorded 33 cases related to family issues, with most linked to child upbringing. Of these, 17 cases were associated with upbringing challenges, involving eight boys and nine girls.
Gender-based discrimination was identified in 48 cases, with physical violence cited as the most prominent form. Among these, 25 cases involved girls, compared to five involving boys.
Separate figures from January show 13 cases of sexual assault, eight cases involving children exposed to domestic violence, seven cases of psychological harm, and four cases of physical abuse.
Meanwhile, the number of children under state care has slightly increased. As of February, 152 children are in state care, including 83 boys and 69 girls, compared to 151 children in January.
The ministry’s data highlights ongoing concerns around child protection, particularly the persistence of neglect and other forms of abuse despite monthly fluctuations.
