The data presented are the cases registered by the Ertzaintza in the CAV in 2020: 1,459 persons under the age of 18 were victims of a crime, taking into account domestic violence, violence by the partner or former partner and crimes against sexual freedom outside the family environment. Most cases were reported by adolescents, between 14 and 17 years of age, who had a criminal record.

It should be stressed, however, that much of this violence is not denounced and therefore not recorded.

In view of this, the Basque Government has presented a comprehensive strategy in which it stresses that no other autonomous community has such a strategy and that very few countries have similar strategies in Europe.

The strategy is articulated around four axes: prevention, early detection of the risk of violence, with special attention to the agents involved in the areas of socialization or proximity and the provision of close and trusting listening channels to youth, comprehensive care to victims and collaboration between different institutions and agents for better knowledge and a more effective response to all forms of violence. The strategy will be coordinated by the Directorate of Families and Children.

“Making a person feel bad is also violence”

Around 80 boys and girls have participated in the process, from which the Basque Government has collected testimonies in the awareness-raising campaign "no more broken toys". “Making a person feel bad is violence and it’s not as obvious as hitting or yelling at anyone,” “not everyone has the ability to ask for help, and sometimes it doesn’t help us, and that’s one more blow,” “girls feel more insecure than boys on the streets,” or “some don’t accept that you are different and that’s why you also get anxious,” the young people say. The plan also takes into account the impact on these violence of gender, race, identity and sexual orientation.