Domestic, sexual abuse consultations hit all-time high

The number of people consulting with the state-run counseling centers for domestic, sexual abuse and domestic conflicts was the highest on record last year, Ministry of Gender Equality and Family data showed Sunday.

A total of 337,171 calls were made in 2023 to the national counseling centers for victims of domestic and sexual abuse, along with other forms of domestic conflicts and crimes such as stalking. The figure was up 15.1 percent from the previous year, according to the ministry's annual report.

Of those, 185,785 were related to sexual violence. Of the remaining 151,386, 92,375 were related to domestic violence, up from 65,211 in 2022.

The other 59,011 were related to varying forms of domestic and relationship conflicts. Consultations related to conflicts within a family and sexual issues -- not severe enough to be stipulated as a crime -- accounted for 11,501 and 8,193.

Dating violence accounted for 4,110, while 3,355 calls were made by victims of stalking.

The remainder, about 10 percent of the overall total, were not classified.

Specifically for consultations related to sexual violence, 17.7 percent of the alleged perpetrators were someone the victims worked with. It was followed by a friend or those from school at 12.8 percent, and family members at 12 percent.

Nearly half of the counseling calls -- 41.7 percent -- were related to the rape and "imitative rape." The second of these offenses involves penetration in which only one person's genitals are involved.

Indecent act by compulsion -- sexual molestation without penetration -- accounted for 36.4 percent.

The report also tallied consultations requested by physically disabled people. The number of disabled people who called for consultation in 2023 was 60,702, up from 53,208 in the previous year. Of these calls, 42,561 were related to sexual violence, meaning nearly 1 in 4 consultations on sexual violence were made by disabled people.

The South Korean government operates 35 protection centers for victims of sexual violence, which were being used by 243 people as of late 2023. A total of 150 people were newly admitted to the protection centers last year.

Victims of sexual violence can apply for protection, medical assistance, legal and other forms of counseling by calling the 1366 emergency hotline.