Child Abuse Cases Linked to Addiction

Addiction and aggressiveness of parents are two major causes of child abuse, said the head of Social Emergency Services.

“In the last year (ended in March) 2,765 child abuse cases were reported to social emergency centers.

In more than half the cases the abuser was under the influence of illicit drugs,” ISNA quoted Dariush Asad Beigi, as saying.

Of the total number of registered cases last year, 47 abusers were under the influence of alcohol, 180 were suffering from psychic illnesses, 29 were mentally retarded, and 513 were diagnosed as aggressive and violent.

Sexual disorders and other causes had smaller share in the reported data.

Provinces with the most calls related to child abuse were Tehran, Southern Khorasan, Hamedan, Fars, Ardebil and Northern Khorasan.

The figures do not necessarily imply that these provinces have more cases; but it is because the social emergency services in these provinces are active, Asad Beigi said, adding that calls were made by relatives, neighbors, and schools, and in some cases by judicial officials and police. Rarely, if ever, did the children themselves make the call to seek assistance.