The number of child abuse cases has continued to rise since the National Police Force started to clamp down on suspected abuse and keep more accurate records four years ago. The police referred a record 17,224 suspected child abuse victims under the age of 18 to child consultation centers across the country in the first six months of this year.
That is the highest number since specific statistics started to be compiled in 2011 and a rise of 32 percent from the year before. Clearly, the police are doing a better job of investigating cases of abuse and of taking more action. They temporarily took protective custody of 1,152 children, also the highest number ever, because of danger to their lives and concern for their physical safety. The change seems an important, and positive shift, in police policy.
Psychologically abused children numbered 11,104, up 43 percent from the year before. The number of physically abused children totaled 3,882, up 12 percent, followed by 2,144 who faced negligence or neglect. Sexually abused children numbered 94, up 13 percent, and 14 children died from abuse. A report from 2012, however, put that year's total child abuse deaths at 99, nearly half of which were part of collective suicides.