The Associação de Apoio à Vítima (APAV), a victims support organisation in Portugal, registered more than 3,500 cases of abuse in the first quarter of this year – 88 per cent of these were of domestic violence.
Over 1,000 of these cases were classified as mental abuse, 982 as physical abuse and 624 cases were victims of threats. Most of the victims were women aged between 23 and 55, however, 155 victims who registered in the first quarter were under 17 years of age, meaning 23 more cases than last year.
So far this year, the APAV has also dealt with 53 cases where children had been psychologically abused and 31 cases where they had suffered physical abuse. There were eight allegations of sexual abuse, six cases of food deprivation and three rapes. What is most worrying is that, in 64 per cent of cases, the parent was the aggressor.
Last year, around 13,500 abuse cases in Portugal were reported to the APAV, with this year’s figure expected to exceed 14,000.
APAV can be contacted on 707 200 077 (English spoken).
