Romania Reports Over 3,500 Child Abuse Cases In First 9-Mo

Most of the child abuse cases involved beating or other types of physical violence (2,740 cases), physical injuries (167) and severe physical injuries (36).

Five of the children, aged between 13 and 18, were beaten to death, the organization said.

Romania’s authority for child protection ANPDC registered 751 child molestation cases in the first half of the year, the organization said.

It said 380 of the child molestation cases occurred in urban areas and 371 in rural areas.

Most of the cases occurred at the children’s homes (644), the organization said. Twenty children were molested at school and the rest in other locations.

In addition, ANPDC registered 691 cases of emotional child abuse in the first half of the year, Salvati Copiii said.

A national survey conducted in 2007 showed that only 30% of the parents are aware of the law that punishes child abuse in Romania, the organization said.