Ceuta reports 16 sexual assaults amid migrant crisis

Spain's state prosecutor has recorded 16 sexual assaults with 17 victims in Ceuta since the mass migrant entry in late July, most of them women and minors. The figures were released by Attorney General Teresa Peramato during a visit to the North African enclave, where she announced the deployment of three additional prosecutors to handle the increased workload Source: El Nacional (VE) Source: infobae Source: Euronews (Español).

The figures

• The prosecutor's office counts 16 sexual assaults, with 17 victims; 16 are women, and most are minors Source: infobae.
• Of these, 14 victims were irregular migrants who entered Ceuta on or after July 30; six assaults involved multiple perpetrators, and five were rapes Source: El Nacional (VE).
• Two suspects are Spanish nationals, one is a foreigner with Spanish residency, and the rest remain unidentified Source: El Nacional (VE).

Broader context

Peramato also noted an increase in property crimes and offenses against authority during the crisis, though no specific figures were provided Source: Euronews (Español). She expressed solidarity with migrants remaining in Ceuta, describing their situation as "very delicate from a humanitarian standpoint" Source: infobae.

Meanwhile, the government has declared the situation a matter of national security and established a unified command until year-end. Territorial Policy Minister Ángel Víctor Torres said alternative housing sites proposed by the city would take months to become habitable due to lacking basic infrastructure Source: Euronews (Español). NGOs have warned of the vulnerability of migrant minors, exposed to violence, trafficking, and exploitation, as shelters operate at capacity Source: Euronews (Español).