Sexual assaults rise in Ceuta amid migrant crisis
Spanish prosecutors record 23 sexual assaults – nine of them against children – since the mass arrival of migrants from Morocco at the end of July. That averages almost one incident a day.
Chief Prosecutor Silvia Rojas warned that the influx has created a vulnerable group: much of the migrants – some five thousand still remain in Ceuta – are irregularly documented, increasing the risk of victimisation and discouraging reporting.
Between 30 and 31 July, an estimated 72,000 people crossed from Morocco to Ceuta. While most have returned, roughly 5,000 still live in the Spanish exclave, causing social unrest and sparking violence between migrants and local residents.
The prime minister has called a national security meeting to address the situation. He noted that 1,400–1,600 of the remaining migrants are children and that some suspected attackers include four Moroccans, three Spaniards and a Belgian.
Rojas said many victims remain silent because of fear of their precarious status. The Spanish Society of Epidemiology warned that… violence against women is not an isolated phenomenon.
Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo announced a multi‑million euro aid package to supply essential services and care for unaccompanied children.
Conservative Mayor Juan Jesús Vivas urged Spaniards to support Ceuta in nationwide demonstrations during the city's annual holiday. The opposition has criticised the government for losing control of the situation.
Vox – the hard‑right party – dismissed the claim that the prime minister had "handed control over to Morocco”, while other critics demand a clearer plan for migrants’ screening and removal.
Arantxa Campos, president of the Ceuta Employers' Confederation, lamented the lack of a government strategy: "We can't act without knowing when the migrants will be fully screened and separated."
The prime minister confirmed the king’s planned visit to Ceuta “as soon as conditions allow,” a move seen as a statement of Spanish authority over the territory. Morocco’s longstanding claim over Ceuta and Melilla study further complicates diplomatic relations; the last royal visit was in 2007, when a Rabat ambassador was withdrawn.
In a radio interview, Sanchez pointed out that the king hadn't visited Ceuta in 20 years, adding that he was the only prime minister to have made an official visit during office. He also flagged that no Moroccan intelligence reports were implicated in the surge.
The prime minister highlighted the role of disinformation on social media, referencing Russia, Israel, and far‑right movements that weaponise migration narratives. Despite denials from both countries, some posts promoted the border fence as safe, while at least 100 people had died in attempts to cross.
Opposition parties, such as the People's Party (PP), criticised Sanchez, accusing him of exonerating Morocco while redirecting blame elsewhere. Meanwhile, Portugal's lack of evidence and Morocco’s denial persist.
