Parents should think very carefully before leaving their children in their relatives' care when they decide to go abroad, as the law enforcement agencies warn about a rise in the number of cases of sexual abuse against children left behind by migrant parents, Info-Prim Neo reports. Marin Maxian, department head at the Ministry of the Interior, told a meeting of the National Council for Children's Rights Protection (CNPC) on Thursday that, whereas in 2011 there were registered 151 cases of sexual abuse against children, nine months into this year their number has already topped 200. 18 such cases occurred within the family. The perpetrators are usually the mothers' partners, but there were also cases when biological fathers, too, committed sexual abuse against their children. Marin Maxian attributes the amplification of this phenomenon to the lack of control from parents, as many of them are working abroad and the children are often left in the care of elderly relatives. These relatives are often vulnerable themselves or may lack the authority over children to keep them away from troubles. There is also the negative influence of the internet and computers who interfere with the children's educational activities. Another factor to pay increased attention to is the children's environment. In 2012, there has also been a rise in the number of overall crimes against children – 956 cases, as compared to 543 cases in the similar period last year. 12 children were killed.