Prosecutors in Spanish say 23 cases of sexual violence have been reported in Ceuta since thousands of migrants entered the Spanish territory from Morocco in late July, with nine of the alleged victims being children.
Ceuta’s chief prosecutor, Silvia Rojas, said the figures represented nearly one reported assault per day.
She told Spanish newspaper El País that migrant girls were especially exposed because their uncertain legal position made it harder for them to seek protection.
An estimated 72,000 people crossed into Ceuta on 30 and 31 July.
While the majority have since returned to Morocco, around 5,000 migrants are believed to remain in the territory, including between 1,400 and 1,600 minors.
According to Efe news agency, those accused in connection with the reported assaults include four Moroccan nationals, three Spaniards and one Belgian.
Tensions have also risen between migrants and residents, with incidents of violence reported in recent days.
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez convened Spain’s national security council for the second time within a week to address the situation.
Rojas said the sudden arrival of migrants had resulted in a dramatic rise in reported sexual violence.
She added that the true number could be considerably higher because some victims had not approached authorities, citing fear and their vulnerable circumstances.
The Spanish Society of Epidemiology said the situation had exposed the challenges involved in identifying and responding to violence affecting migrant women and girls.
A 24-year-old Moroccan woman told the BBC that she had risked her life to reach Ceuta.
She said she was sexually assaulted while sleeping among other migrants and regretted making the journey.
Doctors at Ceuta University Hospital have also treated several alleged assault victims. Emergency physician Susana Ascaso said one of those treated was a 10-year-old child.
Spain’s cabinet has approved a multi-million-euro support package to assist with essential services and the care of unaccompanied minors, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said.
Ceuta’s conservative mayor, Juan Jesús Vivas, has urged people across Spain to join demonstrations in solidarity with the territory on Wednesday, which marks its annual public holiday.
The government has come under mounting pressure from opposition parties over its response. Far-right Vox accused Mr Sánchez of surrendering control of Ceuta rather than protecting it.
Arantxa Campos, head of Ceuta’s employers’ organisation, said businesses and residents were frustrated by the absence of a clear timetable or strategy for dealing with the remaining migrants and completing their screening.
Mr Sánchez has also announced that King Felipe VI will travel to Ceuta when circumstances permit, a move widely viewed as an effort to reinforce Spain’s authority over the territory.
Morocco claims sovereignty over Ceuta and neighbouring Melilla, both Spanish-controlled territories in North Africa.
A 2007 visit by Spain’s then-King Juan Carlos to the two enclaves triggered a diplomatic dispute, with Morocco recalling its ambassador from Madrid.
Mr Sánchez has avoided directly accusing Morocco of organising the latest influx. He said Spanish intelligence had found no evidence that Moroccan officials were involved.
Instead, he pointed to online misinformation allegedly connected to Russia, Israel and international far-right networks, saying such activity had helped inflame tensions around migration.
Both Russia and Israel have rejected the allegations. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar accused the Spanish leader of making a false claim, while Moscow demanded evidence for the accusation.
Numerous online posts circulated in August suggesting that reaching Ceuta through the border area was safe and straightforward.
According to figures cited by the territory’s mayor, at least 100 people died while attempting to swim around the border barrier.
Spanish fact-checking organisation Maldita reported that messages encouraging people in Morocco to attempt the crossing had appeared online before the mass arrival, following a ruling by Spain’s Supreme Court in June.
Spain’s opposition People’s Party has accused Mr Sánchez of shielding Morocco from criticism while blaming foreign actors.
Its spokesperson, Borja Sémper, argued that such a large movement of people towards the border could not have happened without Moroccan authorities being aware.
Morocco has repeatedly rejected accusations that it organised or facilitated the mass movement into Ceuta.
By: Magdalene Agyeiwaa Sarpong