Child Abuse Cases in Japan Edge Down in FY 2024

Tokyo, Jan. 30 (Jiji Press)–The number of child abuse cases handled by child consultation centers across Japan in fiscal 2024 came to 223,691, falling by 1,818 cases, or 0.8 pct, from the previous year, the government said Friday. “The situation remains unchanged, with child abuse cases still high,” an official of the Children and Family Agency said, despite the slight decline from a record high in the previous year. The number of psychological abuse cases, such as terrorizing children with loud voices or threats, stood at 133,024, down 1.4 pct, accounting for 60 pct of the total. Children witnessing domestic violence made up 60 pct of the psychological abuse cases. Physical abuse cases, including acts such as punching, kicking or forcibly submerging children in bathtubs, rose 1.8 pct to 52,535. Neglect cases, such as leaving children alone at home or not feeding them, declined 2.3 pct to 35,612, while sexual abuse cases grew 1.9 pct to 2,520. By perpetrator, biological mothers accounted for the largest share, at 48.2 pct, followed by biological fathers, at 42.9 pct. Nonbiological fathers and mothers made up 4.9 pct and 0.4 pct, respectively. By age, 7-year-old children were the most frequently abused, with 13,800 cases reported, and abuse cases exceeded 13,000 for each age group from 3 to 11. The data showed that the share of cases involving physical abuse tended to increase as children grew older. The proportion of child abuse cases reported by police accounted for 51.7 pct of the total, followed by neighbors or acquaintances, at 8.9 pct, families and relatives, at 8.4 pct, and schools, at 8.0 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]