Dubai: The number of victims of child abuse received by the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) has dropped by 33 per cent during the first half of the year compared to last year, an official said on Tuesday.

The foundation received 30 victims of child abuse below the age of 18 during the first half of this year, in comparison with 45 cases in the same period last year.

Afra Al Basti, Director-General of DFWAC and member of the Federal National Council, said 16 of the cases in 2016 were sheltered in the foundation, while the rest received full care and rehabilitation services and they were not in need of any housing service. All cases were reviewed individually to determine the children’s needs and develop an appropriate rehabilitation plan for each of them, she added.

The majority of the cases — 20 — in 2016 were girls, she said. There were 12 cases of Emirati children (40 per cent), and 12 cases of children of various nationalities. Six other children’s nationalities were unknown.

Afra explained that about 25 children have been subjected to violence by their fathers, while three were subjected to violence by their mothers, and one victim by more than one person, including a brother, a sister and a relative.

She added that some of the children were subjected to violence by more than one person.

The majority of children were also subjected to more than one type of abuse. A total of 19 children were neglected, 14 were subjected to physical violence, 14 to verbal abuse, while 16 children were subjected to watching violence. Also, seven children were subjected to financial abuse and two children to sexual abuse.

According to Afra, eight cases of child abuse were reported to the foundation by their relatives, and six children communicated directly with the foundation’s helpline 800111 asking for help, and five cases were referred by the police, and four cases by the courts, and three cases by schools and two by embassies, and one case by the prosecution and another case by neighbours.

The foundation offers all its services free of charge to all victims of violence, ranging from providing shelter, care and rehabilitation services, as well as legal and educational services, and programmes for vocational rehabilitation and different recreational activities.

“Many children remain silent about their exposure to violence either because of their fear of the abuser or thinking that it is normal when the source of abuse is the father or the mother. The DFWAC aims to reach the victims of child abuse who do not report that they are being abused for various reasons.”

Child abuse levels in the UAE are one of the lowest in the world as the country has made serious and significant strides in this area, especially after the application of the “Wudeema” Law to protect children’s rights, she added.