88 Child Abuse Cases Reported in September

The Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare recorded 231 child protection and social welfare cases in September, including 88 cases of violence against children and 51 cases of gender-based and domestic violence.

Of the child abuse cases, 29 involved physical abuse, 16 involved neglect and 15 involved sexual abuse. A further 12 cases involved children witnessing domestic violence. The cases involved 44 boys and 44 girls.

Women accounted for 41 of the 51 reported gender-based and domestic violence cases, while 10 involved men. Physical abuse was the most common category, with 26 cases, followed by 15 cases of emotional and verbal abuse.

The ministry also recorded 16 cases involving children's behavioural issues. These included six cases of aggression, two cases of children running away from home, one case of school refusal and seven other behavioural concerns.

During September, the Child Helpline, 1412, received 1,662 calls, while the Social Welfare Helpline, 1421, received 511 calls.

The figures highlight the range of child protection and family welfare concerns reported to the ministry during the month.