The number of registered cases of sexual abuse, indecent exposure and rape at Danish asylum centres has grown significantly this year, according to figures from national police department Rigspolitiet.
A total of 10 attacks were reported at seven centres by the end of November, which is more than in the previous three years combined, when the authorities registered three, two and four cases of rape or sexual abuse respectively.
READ MORE: Danish police investigating possible sexual abuse of young asylum-seekers
Some go unreported
Peter Skaarup, the chairman of the Parliamentary committee on legal affairs, believes some cases in the past went unreported, which may explain why the increase in assaults seems much higher this year.
At a refugee centre for boys in Tullebølle on Langeland, two female employees allegedly sexually abused two boys who might have been as old as 17, while sexual assaults were also reported at other asylum centres on the island.
Sandholm asylum centre, which is located north of Copenhagen, registered one case of rape and three cases of indecent exposure.
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Fewer refugees
Skaarup reckons the total number of sexual abuse cases at the refugee centres in Denmark may be even higher.
“Even though there have been fewer asylum-seekers this year, we cannot rule out seeing more cases of sexual abuse in future statistics, because it is now required they are registered,” Skaarup told DR.
Some 10,573 refugees have been housed at Danish asylum centres this year, compared to 17,145 in 2015.
