MUSCAT:Three people were arrested on charges of child abuse in Muscat last week. An ROP official said that the arrests were made in connection with three separate cases.

“In the first case, an eight-year-old disabled child was abused by a relative. In another incident, an 11-year-old boy was molested and attacked by a citizen.

“The accused escaped when the child started shouting for help.

“In the third case, Al Khoudh Police Station received complaint from an Omani woman that her 11-year-old daughter was harassed by a worker at home.”

The ROP has called on parents to educate their children regarding these crimes. It has also urged parents to report any such case either through their hotline number or by visiting the nearest police station.

Meanwhile, Oman Observer reported that 646 cases of violence against children were reported in the Sultanate in 2018.

These cases included violence against 387 male children and 259 female children, which were handled by the child protection committees across the Sultanate in the first half of last year.

The number of child abuse cases in Muscat rose to 250 (161 male, 89 females), followed by North Al Batinah 125 cases (72 male, 53 female), South Batinah 53 (34 male, 19 female) and Al Dakhiliyah 46 cases. Forty-five cases were reported in Al Dhahirah Governorate, followed by North Al Sharqiyah (41), Al Buraimi (35) and 22, South Al Sharqiyah and Musandam, and five cases in Dhofar.