Bahrain registers increasing cases of child abuse

A government-run Child Protection Center in Bahrain registered a total of 428 cases in 2013 related to physical, sexual and psychological abuse or extreme neglect of children, showed figures released by Bahrain's Social Development Ministry on Sunday. The center registered the cases among a total of 277 boys and 151 girls, ranging from newborns up to the age of 18, the ministry said, adding that the registered cases have increased to 428 in 2013 from 257 in 2012. "The increase in the number of cases is because of the community's rising awareness and trust in highlighting and dealing with the problem," the ministry said. The released figures found 45 cases related to extreme negligence, 82 cases to psychological abuse, 202 cases to physical abuse and 100 cases to sexual abuse. And most of the violence cases were registered in northern governorates with 166 cases, followed by 86 cases in central governorates and 80 in southern governorates.