Andorra Sees Rise in Detected Minors' Sexual Assaults Due to Better Awareness

The Ministry of Social Affairs has attributed a rise in Programme for Immediate Attention (PAI) cases involving suspected sexual assaults and mistreatment of minors to improved detection mechanisms and greater awareness among professionals and the public.

Minister Trini Marín stated that while the increase is not cause for celebration, the government welcomes it because cases are now identified earlier, preventing escalation to more severe situations. In 2025, the Forensic Psychologist Service processed 36 judicialised files linked to possible sexual assaults or acute physical mistreatment, with 19 tied to suspected sexual assaults and five to physical mistreatment episodes.

Laura Mas, director of the Department of Childhood and Adolescence, noted that such situations have always existed but are now caught more readily due to enhanced training and sensitivity. She highlighted a shift this year, with more extrafamilial cases than intrafamilial ones—unlike recent years. Of the 19 suspected sexual assault cases recorded in 2024, 16 involved situations between peers. Mas linked this trend to adolescents and professionals increasingly recognising peer aggression.

All PAI files go through judicial channels, as an examining magistrate requests pre-constituted evidence. Mas emphasised that this avoids re-victimisation, as the minor's recorded statement can be used in court without repetition. She added that requests for such evidence are rising, aiming to shield children and adolescents emotionally.

The specialised Child and Adolescent Care Service (SEAIA) intervened with 233 families and 314 minors in 2025, though new files dropped 40% from 2024 to 51. Mas attributed this to earlier risk detection and intervention before cases reach serious neglect or abandonment levels. Interventions most often involved 11- to 15-year-olds, with 41% linked to parental neglect—such as chronic school absenteeism, lack of medical or psychological care, or family violence—and 16% to risky adolescent behaviour.

In adoptions, only one national or international case was formalised in 2025. Mas pointed to a post-Covid international trend favouring domestic adoptions, with countries amending laws accordingly. Adoption rates are declining overall. Ester Cervós, Secretary of State for Social Affairs, said the government is working to expand international agreements despite the challenges.