254 child abuse cases confirmed by social services in 2016

There were 254 verified cases of child abuse investigated in 2016, down from 431 in 2015 and 367 in 2014, according to data tabled in Parliament on Tuesday.

Michael Farrugia, Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity, said that there had been a total of 1,473 reports of child abuse or negligence filed with the Child Protection Service (CPS) last year.

Of those, 1,219 could not be verified.

In 2015, there were 1,176 reports that could not be verified, up from 1,007 in 2014.

The highest number of cases reported in 2016 – 123 – were in St Paul’s Bay, followed by Qormi (85 cases) and Birkirkara (64 cases).

Mdina, with a registered population of 233, registered the highest number of cases per capita – 28, or 12%, followed by Ghasri in Gozo with 13 cases across a population of 424, or 3.1%, and Gudja, with 13 cases across a population of 3,049, or 1.3%.

San Lawrenz in Gozo, with a population of 630, was the only town where no cases of child abuse were reported.

Kalkara, Marsaxlokk, Mgarr, Sannat and Gharb each recorded one case.

The CPS also investigated seven reports of child abuse in shelters.