During the first three months of the year, 1,850 cases of child abuse were reported by the public in Khorasan Razavi.

The deputy head of social affairs for the Welfare Department of Khorasan Razavi Province announced a 3.5-fold increase in the incidence of child abuse in the province compared to last year. According to him, during the first three months of this year, 1,850 public reports of child abuse were registered with the Welfare Department.

According to HRANA news agency, quoting IRNA, Gholamhossein Haqdadi, deputy director of social affairs for the General Welfare Department of Khorasan Razavi Province, said: "During the first three months of this year, 1,850 public reports of child abuse were registered with the provincial welfare department, compared to 504 cases in the same period last year."

He continued: "This increase in public reports is not a sign of an increase in the prevalence of child abuse, but rather an increase in people's awareness of welfare and the social emergency center and the 123 hotline."

Haqdadi continued: "The number of missions and mobile services last year was 530, which has decreased by 25 percent this year to 380."

He stated: "Over the past year, a total of 2,260 cases of child abuse have been registered in the province, leading to the presence of a team of social workers and relief operations."

The deputy head of social affairs at the General Welfare Department of Khorasan Razavi Province, pointing out that the outbreak of the coronavirus and the announcement of the 123 hotline to respond to family problems and issues arising from the COVID-19 disease have led to an increase in calls to the center, said: "The number of calls to the Social Emergency Center and the 123 hotline in the past five months of the year has been 34,500, while during the same period last year, these calls were 4,200."

Haqdadi added: “Recorded statistics show an eightfold increase in public calls to the 123 line of the Khorasan Razavi Welfare Department.”

Source: HRANA