Child abuse cases in Spain are increasing during the coronavirus lockdown

CHILD abuse cases in Spain have risen during the state of emergency.

During the week of March 23 to March 30, the Anar Foundation received 270 requests for help, of which 173 of those correspond to cases of serious abuse.

That number amounts to 24 cases per day nationwide.

Every day that went past, even more cases were reported than the one before, with 36% of the calls on March 23 being related to serious child abuse and that number rising to 40% by March 31.

Diana Diaz, director of the Anar Foundation spoke to El Mundo and said: “The risk increases because the victim cannot move away from the aggressor. 

“We cannot exactly compare these numbers with the past because this is a special circumstance, but we do see an increase in general and quantify an increase day by day.”

She also mentions the worrying statistic that 3.5% of these cases are ones of sexual abuse.

“It is a very serious problem because minors cannot escape their aggressor and because it is taking place in environments where there are no other protective adults, either because they do not know it or because they do nothing to prevent it.”