23 pct of Bolivian children suffer sexual abuse

In Bolivia, 23 percent of children and teenagers suffer from some form of sexual abuse, an official said on Sunday.

"The picture that is painted regarding the human rights situation is deplorable," Bolivian Public Advocate Rolando Villena, adding that 80 percent of Bolivian children and teenagers suffer some type of abuse at home.

Bolivia is one of the most unsafe countries in the world for children and teenagers, above all due to their parents' abandonment, alcoholism and extreme poverty, said Villena.

From a very young age, the victims "endure various scenes of discrimination, starting with physical and psychological violence, which unfortunately comes from their own parents, siblings, uncles, aunts and step-parents," he added.

Between January and July, Bolivia witnessed 232 acts of sexual violence, two suicides, 33 cases of human trafficking and 29 infanticides, among which 60 percent were committed by their own parents.

In 2014, 73 infanticides were registered with 60 children under five years old and 13 children under 13 years old.

There were also 326 cases of sexual violence reported, whose victims included 185 teenagers and 141 children under 12 years old. Endi