児童虐待１～２割増　１～３月、新型コロナ受け調査―厚労省

　全国の児童相談所で１～３月に対応した虐待の相談件数がいずれの月も前年比で１～２割増えたことが厚生労働省の調査で１２日までに分かった。新型コロナウイルス感染拡大による外出自粛や休校の影響で虐待リスクが高まる懸念があるとして調べた。ただ、厚労省は件数増加と外出自粛などとの関係は不明と話している。
　月別の相談件数は、１月が１万４９７４件（前年同月比２２％増）、２月が１万４９９７件（同１１％増）、３月が２万２５０３件（同１２％増）。都道府県別で１カ月間で最も多かったのは、大阪府で３月の３０２５件（前年同月２６３１件）、次いで東京都の３月の２９０８件（同２１７７件）だった。（2020/05/12-19:14）

   Tokyo, May 12 (Jiji Pres)--The number of child abuse cases handled by child consultation centers across Japan in January-March grew 10 to 20 pct year on year each month, according to a welfare ministry survey.
   The survey was conducted in response to concern that child abuse may increase as many people refrain from going out and schools are shut due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
   Still, the ministry is not sure whether the increase in child abuse cases has anything to do with restraints on going out, officials said.
   The number of child abuse consultations provided in January stood at 14,974, up 22 pct from a year before. The number totaled 14,997 in February, up 11 pct, and 22,503 in March, up 12 pct.
   By prefecture, the highest monthly number was recorded by Osaka in March at 3,025, against 2,631 a year before, followed by 2,908 in Tokyo in March, compared with 2,177 a year before.