The Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo, has initiated an ex officio action before the Regional Ministry of Family, Youth and Social Policy of the Autonomous Community of Madrid requesting information about the situation of the ten minors released yesterday as part of a police operation against the exploitation of minors for sexual purposes and drug trafficking in the Region of Madrid.
According to information published by different media, several of these minors are or have been sheltered in centres for the protection of minors in the Region. The institution wants to verify this information and to know the specific protocols for the early detection of cases of abuse, exploitation or trafficking of minors that are applied in Madrid’s protection centres. In addition, he requested information about the actions and measures planned to improve the care of minors susceptible to exploitation, both in centres or residential flats and outside of them.
Ángel Gabilondo highlighted that Organic Law for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents against Violence expressly includes the obligation of child protection administrations to have protocols for prevention, early detection and intervention in possible cases of abuse, sexual exploitation and human trafficking when the victims are minors subject to protective measures and residing in centres under their responsibility.
This is not the first time that the Ombudsman has initiated ex officio proceedings after becoming aware of facts of this nature in another autonomous community, such as, for example, the Balearic Islands.
The Ombudsman considers it appropriate to follow up on the preventive and early detection and intervention measures designed by the Administration to avoid and deal with cases of sexual exploitation of minors who are under protection measures.
In addition, the Ombudsman is also going to initiate actions addressed to the General Directorate of the Police to inquire about the scope of the investigation initiated and the measures taken to guarantee the integrity and safety of the minor victims and their families.
