The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) reported nearly 10,000 complaints of child abuse last year, signaling a concerning trend.
NCPA Chairman Udaya Kumara Amarasinghe revealed that between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year, the authority received 9,434 complaints of child abuse, depicting a stark rise in such cases.
Among these complaints, 2,242 were related to general child abuse, while 472 were linked to sexual abuse, and 404 pertained to serious sexual abuse. Additionally, there were 51 complaints of rape involving girls and six instances of children being exploited in obscene online content.
Furthermore, the Chairman highlighted various other forms of child exploitation reported, including incidents involving drug trafficking, child labor, domestic violence, neglect, abduction, physical harm, child trafficking, and denial of education.
In comparison, the NCPA had received 7,466 complaints of child abuse in the preceding year, indicating a disturbing escalation in reported cases.
Amarasinghe emphasized that these complaints have been forwarded to relevant authorities for prompt action.
Moreover, discussions are underway to amend existing laws aimed at bolstering measures to prevent child abuse.
