15% of Abused Children Experience Reabuse; In June, Mapo-gu, Police Station, and Child Protection Agency Conduct Joint Inspections
Fines and Criminal Penalties for Refusal or Obstruction; Emergency Measures and Temporary Protective Actions Implemented as Needed
Last month, Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo District, conducted an inspection of the Seogang Daycare Center facilities and greeted the children.
According to the 2021 annual report by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, cases of reabuse among abused children account for 14.7% of all child abuse cases and have been increasing annually since 2019.
In response, Mapo-gu (Mayor Park Gang-su) announced that it will conduct the "2023 First Half Joint Inspection of Child Abuse-Related Agencies" throughout June in collaboration with the Mapo Police Station and the Mapo Child Protection Agency.
This joint inspection targets children at high risk of reabuse, such as those repeatedly reported for child abuse or from families with a history of non-cooperation or refusal during case management. The three agencies will conduct prior investigations and consultations before carrying out the inspections.
The inspection method is based on home visits and direct face-to-face meetings to check the child's physical and psychological condition, living environment, and to focus on identifying any signs of physical, emotional abuse, or neglect indicating reabuse.
Statements will be taken separately from the abuser and the child, and additional testimonies from other family members or people around them will also be collected. It will be clearly notified that refusal or obstruction of the inspection may result in fines or criminal penalties.
If reabuse is confirmed through the inspection, necessary measures will be taken, including ▲ emergency actions such as isolating the abuser and transferring the victim child to an institution (Child Abuse Punishment Act Article 12), ▲ applying for emergency temporary protective orders to prohibit access to the victim child (Child Abuse Punishment Act Article 13), and ▲ immediate separation (Child Welfare Act Article 15, Paragraph 6).
Additionally, the district office identifies suspected abuse-exposed households quarterly by using a total of 44 types of information such as power or water disconnection, failure to undergo health checkups, absenteeism from childcare facilities, non-application for child allowance, and failure to visit hospitals. They visit homes directly to inspect the caregiving environment to prevent child abuse in advance.
Furthermore, in cooperation with the Mapo Child Protection Agency, the district actively promotes child abuse prevention and plans to conduct "Public Sector Child Abuse Prevention Training" and "Mandatory Reporter Training for Social Welfare Officers and Others" for all Mapo-gu employees in November.
Park Gang-su, Mayor of Mapo-gu, stated, "As the African proverb says, 'It takes a whole village to raise a child,' the entire local community must unite to support the healthy growth and development of our children." He added, "We will continue to establish an organic cooperation system with related agencies to make Mapo-gu free of child abuse and a happy place for children."
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