More and more children are abused in Moldova. The Education Ministry reports there have been about 5,600 cases since last September, in families, at schools or in other places.

The rise is 17 % on the year. Most cases relate to physical violence: about 3,000.

Over 1,300 were abused emotionally, and the same number of children were neglected. There were 170 cases of labor exploitation and 25 cases of sexual abuse.

The number of cases reported to authorities has also grown.

The Ministry explains this by providing more training to people responsible with protection of infants.