Despite a sharp rise in the number of reported child abuse cases, 43 percent of teachers failed to report signs of child abuse to child-welfare centers, according to a survey conducted by a teacher.
The report, compiled by Hiroyuki Sudo, a teacher at Fukuyama Municipal Minami Elementary School in the city of Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture, was presented Saturday at a national conference on child abuse held in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture.
Many teachers who did not file reports said they chose not to because they were unsure about whether the children were actually victims of abuse, even though they are required to report such incidents under the law against child abuse that came into effect last November.
Sudo said the central government needs to do more to publicize the duty of teachers to report such incidents as many teachers are still unaware of the law.