By Kim Eun-hye
A growing number of young mothers have neglected or abused their children under the age of three physically or emotionally, according to a government report.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Sunday that cases of abuse of children aged less than three years numbered 708 in an analysis of reports filed with 45 regional children protection agencies across the country last year. The figure was up about 33 percent from the previous year, showing the worsening situation for young children.
Among child abusers, parents accounted for as much as 86.5 percent. In particular, women accounted for 66.7 percent or two out of three child abusers. Those in their 20s and 30s were accountable for 69.7% of the total cases. Experts believe that young mothers in their 20s and 30s abuse their children because of the stress accumulated from parenting.
The most prevalent type of child abuse was negligence with 454 cases or 48.1 percent, followed by emotional and physical abuse with 263 cases or 27.9 percent, and 162 cases or 17.2 percent, respectively.
The number of child abuse cases that took place in facilities relating to children, such as day care and welfare centers, also increased 19 percent compared to 2010. Especially, child abuse in day care centers escalated as it more than doubled from 67 cases in 2009 to 159 cases in 2011.
The most common type of child abuse performed by the employees at these day care centers was physical abuse, such as hitting. There were also numerous acts of negligence and emotional abuse toward children, such as failing to provide them with nourishment and ignoring their cries, according to the report.
Domestic child abuse amounted to 5,246 cases or 86.6 percent and the overwhelming majority of them were committed by parents with 5,039 cases or 83.1 percent. Among the domestic cases, 44 percent or 2,666 cases were attributed to single parents.
“The rate of single parents committing child abuse is very high given that they make up a single digit of 8.7 percent of the family structure,” said Jang Hwa-jung Jang, director of the National Child Protection Agency. “This trend is due to the pressure they feel of raising children by themselves.”
The ministry is planning to prevent domestic child abuse by educating parents who receive financial support from the government for pregnancy, childbirth or childcare.
Furthermore, the ministry seeks to rewrite the law on children rights to reinforce employment restrictions on child abusers and to better manage and protect children.