Sexual assaults happening almost every day in Ceuta, prosecutors say

Spanish prosecutors have reported 23 sexual assaults in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta, with nine involving children, since a surge of migrants arrived in late July. Ceuta's chief prosecutor, Silvia Rojas, stated that there was nearly one case of sexual assault daily during this period. Migrant girls, particularly, were vulnerable due to their irregular status in the territory.

Around 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco into Ceuta on July 30 and 31, though most have returned, leaving around 5,000 individuals still in the city. Rojas highlighted that about 1,400 to 1,600 of these are children. The suspected assailants include four Moroccans, three Spaniards, and a Belgian. Tensions between migrants and local residents have led to violence, and the Spanish government, under Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, is grappling with the crisis.

Sánchez convened a national security council meeting to address the issue. The Spanish Society of Epidemiology emphasized the challenges in detecting and addressing violence against migrant women and girls. A Moroccan woman who traveled to Ceuta recounted being sexually assaulted while among a group of men and women, stating, "If I had known this, I wouldn't have come."

Emergency doctor Susana Ascaso mentioned treating several sexual assault victims, including a 10-year-old child at Ceuta University Hospital. The conservative mayor of Ceuta, Juan Jesús Vivas, called for Spaniards to demonstrate in support of Ceuta, coinciding with the city's annual holiday. The Spanish government is facing criticism for its handling of the crisis, with the hard-right Vox party accusing Sánchez of handing Ceuta over to migrants.

Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo announced a multi-million euro aid package to aid services and care for unaccompanied children. The Spanish government is also preparing for King Felipe VI's potential visit to Ceuta, seen as a move to assert Spanish authority. Morocco, which has a historic claim over Ceuta and Melilla, has denied involvement in the mass crossing.