Procuratorate pledges greater anti-abuse efforts

National prosecuting departments will redouble efforts to combat crimes against minors in schools or kindergartens, according to a statement issued by the Supreme People's Procuratorate and related bodies.

"Schools are important places where children should receive an education and grow up in safety, and we will resolutely fight crime that targets children or school safety," said Shi Weizhong, deputy director of a special office at the procuratorate established to deal with cases involving minors.

Last year, 181 people were charged with crimes against children, such as physical and sexual abuse, at kindergartens across the country.

Meanwhile, 3,923 people were charged with infringing the rights of minors at primary and middle schools by maltreating them, committing sexual abuse or physical injury, according to statistics provided by the procuratorate.

During sentencing, prosecutors asked that 102 people convicted of such crimes be excluded from professions that require contact with minors.

In May, a preschool teacher in Beijing was charged with abusing children by stabbing them with needles to "discipline" them, the procuratorate said.

The case came to light in November, when parents contacted police to report that the children had needle marks on their bodies, and also alleged that the minors had been given unidentified "white pills" to keep them quiet.

The woman was detained by police in December on suspicion of child abuse.

To tackle the problem, the procuratorate and related bodies, including the public security and education departments, issued the statement, which also stipulates severe punishments for those convicted of infringing the rights of juveniles.

Shi said national prosecuting departments will work closely with the relevant authorities to conduct thorough investigations into conditions at schools and kindergartens in a bid to improve safety management.