About 9 percent of mothers rearing preschool children repeatedly abuse them by beating or denying them necessary care, according to a survey released Wednesday by a Tokyo-based social welfare organization.

According to the survey, conducted by the Center for Child Abuse Prevention in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward, abuse is much more prevalent among women whose husbands do not share household chores and child rearing.

The survey was conducted from January to February on 500 mothers of children up to six years of age, at 27 locations in Tokyo.