The Spanish exclave of Ceuta has experienced a sharp rise in sexual assaults and violent robberies since tens of thousands of African migrants crossed its borders earlier this summer, according to Spanish prosecutors.
Chief Prosecutor Silvia Rojas said in a recent interview that the territory has recorded 23 sexual assaults since the late-July border crush — including nine against children — describing the pace as “almost one case per day.”
“There’s been a spike in crime, including sexual assaults and violent robberies,” Rojas said, noting an “exponential increase” in such offenses since the mass influx.
Rojas highlighted that some victims are migrant children whose irregular legal status leaves them especially vulnerable. “Above all, there are underage victims, victims who are particularly vulnerable precisely because of their irregular status in this territory,” she said. “Furthermore, many people do not file a report, either out of fear or because of their current situation in Ceuta.”
Prosecutors Call for Protective Measures
Rojas said the prosecutor’s office has stressed the need for protective measures ranging from restraining and no-contact orders to pretrial detention in more serious cases.
The influx began when thousands of migrants, mostly young men from Morocco, stormed Ceuta’s beaches by climbing border fences or swimming. Many have since returned home after failing to reach mainland Spain, but roughly 5,000 migrants remain, including about 1,200 minors, according to CBS News, citing Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
Public Unrest and Political Pressure
The ongoing situation has triggered widespread protests across Spain. Thousands of Spaniards demonstrated Wednesday, demanding that Sánchez address the turmoil in Ceuta, the Associated Press reported.
The border surge followed a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court that prohibited authorities from immediately deporting migrants who enter by sea. Earlier this year, Sánchez introduced an amnesty program for more than one million migrants, a move he framed as a counter to what he called “MAGA-style leaders,” according to The New York Times. Spain received more than double the number of applications initially expected.
Source: www.dailywire.com — https://www.dailywire.com/news/ceuta-sees-spike-in-sexual-assaults-since-migrant-influx