The number of cases of child molestation has been skyrocketing in 2021, MP from the conservative populist Most party, Marija Selak-Raspudic, said on Tuesday, criticising the legal system for failing to protect children against abuse.

Speaking at a news conference in Zagreb, Selak-Raspudic said that the number of sexual offences committed against children aged 14-18 has risen by 171 percent so far in 2021 compared to 2020 – from seven to 19 cases, adding that cases of child grooming have also gone up, by 900 percent on the year.

There have been 40 percent more cases of offences of using a child to produce pornography, she said.

Furthermore, in 2021 there have been 122 child sexual offences against children under 14,  a jump of 248 percent from 35 such offences in 2020.

She also commented on increasing domestic violence against children, with a 40 percent rise on the year in this segment.

The opposition MP said that the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, lockdown, and the coronavirus crisis were also evident in increased rates of suicides and suicide attempts among children and teenagers.

The figures provided by the Interior Ministry show that suicides and attempted suicides had risen 66 percent among children under 14, and 55 percent among teenagers aged between 15 and 18 so far this year, she said.