438 children in Cyprus became victims of sexual abuse in 2024

The organization "Hope for Children" published on Tuesday data on the number of cases of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse in 2024 in Cyprus: 438 children were referred to the Children's House.

Of the total number of victims, 74.4% were girls and 25.6% were boys. The average age of the victims is 12 years, with the most common age being 14 years.

According to the organization, 70.8% of the referred children hold Cypriot citizenship. In 89.2% of cases, the incidents occurred within the 12 months preceding the referral, and in 10.8% — more than a year ago.

In 57.9% of the incidents, the abuse occurred between a minor and an adult. Only in 4.7% of cases (20 children) was the suspect not known to the child. In 58.6% of cases, the actions took place outside the family; in 53.9% of such cases, the suspect was known or close to the child. In 26.4% of cases, there was an intra-family connection (mother, father, step-parent, sibling).

During 2024, in approximately 20 cases, the child was accompanied to court hearings by a social worker or psychologist. Eighteen children gave testimony via video link in specially equipped rooms of the Children's House in all districts.

Since its establishment in 2017, the Children's House has received 3,019 referrals. Source: Cyprus News Agency (CNA).