China News Service, May 17 (Xinhua News) reported that Japan's suspension of classes due to the spread of the new crown epidemic and self-restraint on the go have increased concerns about child abuse. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan collected the number of child abuse cases that were visited by the National Children's Counseling Center from January to March or temporarily protected. Compared with the same period in 2019, the number of child abuse incidents in Japan has increased by 10% to 20% since the first three months of 2020.
According to Houlao Province, the number of child abuse incidents was 1.4974 million in January (an increase of 22% from the same month last year), 1.4997 million in February (an increase of 11% from the same month last year), and 22.503 million in March (a year earlier 12% increase).
The report said that due to the prolonged suspension of classes and the decrease in parents' income, the increased concern about child abuse is stronger.
According to a child consultation center in Sapporo, in March, there were 146 cases of child abuse reported by police and nearby residents, about 1.5 times that of the same month last year. Couples quarrel and other parental disputes are more psychologically abused by children as seen by children. There are also consultations on "stopping work of parents" and "pressure from children who have been at home due to suspension of classes".
The director of the "Child Abuse Prevention Association" Tetsusaki Tsuzaki pointed out that "economic embarrassment is also one of the important causes of abuse, and the situation of children is deteriorating."