Crimes against children have increased significantly from 4,828 cases in 2020 to 6,314 cases in 2021, as well as crimes committed by these minors registering a significant increase with 21,685 cases, in which 25,402 minors have been prosecuted, the latest annual report from the prosecution said.
In its 5th annual report for the year 2021, the prosecution revealed a set of worrying figures relating to the criminal situation of children in Morocco, some of which represent the victims and others the perpetrators of crimes.
According to the document, the cases relating to sexual assault against children saw a significant increase in the year 2021, as 2,998 cases were recorded compared to 2,261 cases in the year 2020. top the list of crimes committed against children with a rate of about 47%, which requires an approach that protects children from this aggression, the heinous coming and its devastating effects on their present and their future.
With the exception of the crime of rape, which has decreased compared to the last two years, the majority of forms of sexual assault have increased, particularly in terms of crimes of indecent assault on a minor with violence, going from 1,377 cases in 2020 to 1,779 cases in 2021, an increase of more than 400 cases, thus constituting the highest rate, reaching 28.18% of the total crimes committed against children, followed by the category of crimes against children. indecent assault on a minor without violence with aggravating circumstances, the number of which increased from 373 cases in 2020 to 545 cases in 2021, and the same is true for the offense of indecent assault on a minor without violence, which is , meanwhile, went from 316 to 486 cases.
When it comes to physical assaults, the number recorded amounted to a total of 1,676 cases, or about 27% of the total crimes committed against children during this year, compared to 1,179 cases recorded in 2020.
Crimes violating the right to life have, for their part, experienced a significant decrease during the year 2021, with premeditated murder having fallen from 22 cases in 2020 to 18 cases in 2021, while cases of violence resulting in the unpremeditated death of 11 to 10 cases. Murders of newborns decreased from 19 to 7 cases and cases of violence leading to permanent incapacitation decreased from 57 to 18 cases.
The report states that the crime of violence leading to temporary incapacity (less than 20 days and more than 20 days) increased significantly with a rate of 55.61%, and a number of cases increased from 1041 cases in 2020 to 1620 cases in 2021.
According to the document, cases of family neglect are one of the most common crimes against children and rank third after crimes of indecent assault on minors with violence and violence resulting in a disability of less of 20 days. This category noted an increase with a total of 728 cases compared to 623 cases in 2020.
In addition, cases of child exploitation in begging also increased during the year 2021, from 80 cases in 2020 to 100 cases at the end of 2021.
However, the number of people prosecuted for these cases increased from 5,424 people in 2020 to 6,855 in 2021, an increase of 26.38%. It should be noted that violence committed by third parties constitutes 82.5% of the total of violent crimes of which children have been victims, most of whom have been prosecuted for sexual violence.
On the other hand, the violence committed by the relatives of the victims, father, mother, brothers and sisters or husband, noted has decreased, recording approximately 11.4% of the total number of relatives prosecuted against 14.50% in 2020. In this sense, the crime of family neglect remains the most committed by parents with a total of 558 prosecuted.
On the aspect of crimes committed by children in conflict with the law, the report highlights that the year 2021 recorded a relative increase in the number of crimes committed by children, noting that it amounts to 21,685 cases, of which 25,402 minors were prosecuted. An increase of 2,874 cases and 3,686 minors prosecuted compared to 2020 (18,811 cases attributed to 21,716 minors).
On the other hand, the report indicates that the figures recorded for certain crimes reflect a clear increase such is the case of manslaughter, which rose from 22 to 45 cases (an increase of more than 100%), and the crime of accidental injury from 613 to 808 cases, and the crime of described theft, which increased from 1,307 to 1,438 cases and ordinary theft from 1,752 to 1,849 cases, while the crime of rape increased from 45 to 68 cases, and indecent assault from 282 to 365 cases, and indecent assault without violence from 90 to 152 cases.