In brief
After a wave of more than 70,000 migrants entered Ceuta in July, prosecutors have logged 23 sexual assaults, nine involving minors, creating daily security concerns. Victims, many of whom are unregistered migrants, have been reluctant to report crimes, while tensions between locals and newcomers flare. The crisis has prompted a national security meeting and political debate over Morocco’s role and a potential government aid package.
Spanish prosecutors say 23 sexual assaults, including nine against children, have been recorded in Ceuta since the mass influx of migrants at the end of July. That figure equates to almost one case per day, according to chief prosecutor Silvia Rojas.
Rojas warned that migrant girls, many lacking legal status, are particularly vulnerable. She noted that at least 72,000 migrants crossed from Morocco on 30 and 31 July, and about 5,000—many of them children—remain in the exclave.
The surge has triggered violent episodes, with tensions rising between migrants and locals. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened a national security meeting to address the crisis.
Rojas added that many victims have not filed complaints, citing fear rooted in their precarious position in Ceuta. For context, four alleged attackers were Moroccan, three Spanish and one Belgian, according to Efe news agency.
The Spanish Society of Epidemiology warned that violence against women is not a sporadic event. Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo announced a multi‑million‑euro aid package for essential services and care for unaccompanied children.
Conservative mayor Juan Jesús Vivas called for support demonstrations across mainland Spain. The opposition party Vox criticized Sánchez’s handling of the situation, accusing him of abandoning control over Ceuta.
Arantxa Campos of the Ceuta Employers’ Confederation remarked that without a clear plan the respondents cannot do anything until the migrants are processed and removed.
