The National Police of Ukraine has recorded a decline in the number of crimes committed against children in the country.
Vasyl Bohdan, head of the Juvenile Police of Ukraine, said this in an interview with Ukrinform.
“In general, we continue to observe a decline in the number of crimes committed against children,” Bohdan said.
Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion, more than 11,000 crimes against children have been recorded. The highest number was reported in 2023, with nearly 4,700 cases. In 2024, that figure dropped to 3,400—marking a 26% decrease compared to the previous year and falling below pre-war levels recorded in 2021.
Bohdan noted that most of these offenses are classified as serious or especially serious crimes, including those against sexual freedom and inviolability. Cases of bullying, online fraud, and other offenses were also documented.
Answering a question about the types of crimes committed against minors since the start of the full-scale invasion, Bohdan stated that the majority of these offenses fall under crimes against life and health.
“Among them, the most common are intentional bodily harm, beatings, torture, and sexual offenses. In 2024 alone, we recorded 546 such cases. These include sexual violence, sexual acts with persons under the age of 16, molestation, and other related crimes,” Bohdan said.
According to Bohdan, these crimes represent a significant share of all offenses committed against children, and the issue remains extremely sensitive.
“Of course, we take this into account and are intensifying preventive efforts in cooperation with educational institutions. We also involve parents in this process, because without joint action, it will be very difficult to prevent such offenses,” he emphasized.
As previously reported, human rights activists have stated that all children in Ukraine—without exception—are victims of the war.
Source: National Police reports decline in crimes against children in Ukraine
