Child abuse in Colombia has increased 40% over the past year, reported Radio Caracol on Tuesday.
During an event for the World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse on Monday, director of the National Pediatrics Federation Carlo Alberto Montoya said that there had been 17,000 cases of sexual abuse ad 13,000 cases of other abuses perpetrated by adults, especially parents relatives and others known to the children.
Montoya said that there were cases of children being used for sexual exploitation where girls of 12-years or under were dressed up like women and used for sexual exploitation in the streets.
The director said that the problem is increasing and highlighted the family’s role in protecting the safety of children especially when the majority of abusers are close to the children.
Currently there are around 50,000 prosecutions for these types of crimes in the childrens’ and adolescents’ courts in Colombia.
