A woman hitting a 13-year-old boy on the head with a mobile phone in Hanoi has recently sparked public outrage. Photo captured from video
From the beginning of the year through August, hotline 111 provided 22,037 counseling sessions and intervened in 825 cases, protecting 969 children.
Hotline 111 is a special public service established under the 2016 Law on Children, responsible for receiving information, making referrals for rescue, and providing counseling and support for children and victims of human trafficking.
In August 2025 alone, the hotline received 36,486 calls, an increase of 9,852 calls, or 37 percent, compared with July.
Reports submitted via Zalo and the hotline’s mobile app reached 562, up 62 percent from the previous month.
The hotline provided 3,628 counseling sessions in August, 777 more than in July, and supported or intervened in 121 cases involving 137 children.
According to the Department of Maternal Health and Children, the surge in calls was partly due to increased public attention to human trafficking prevention, following the government’s campaign to raise awareness through mobile phone text messages.
Types of cases
Reports indicate that child violence remains a major concern, with 66 cases reported in July, representing 53.7 percent; and 61 cases in August, or 50.5 percent.
Cases of sexual abuse dropped from 20 in July, or 16.4 percent, to 10 in August, or 8.3 percent.
Although the number of cases declined, authorities reported several serious incidents.
In the first half of 2025, the hotline intervened in 45 cases of sexual abuse involving 63 children, including five who became pregnant, forced to leave school, and left with long-term harm.
In addition, online child abuse is on the rise.
In the first half of the year, the hotline handled 431 counseling sessions and 16 intervention cases, followed by three cases in July and four in August.
Common methods include luring children into sending sensitive photos or videos and then threatening or blackmailing them, as well as befriending them on social media before arranging in-person meetings that lead to abuse.
Hotline 111 operates 24/7 as an emergency service.
In addition to traditional phone calls, it also allows people to report cases via Zalo, a mobile app, Facebook fan page, email, or by submitting letters directly.
“Serious incidents such as child abuse and violence are immediately referred to the competent authorities,” a representative of hotline 111 said.
"In urgent cases like reports of child trafficking, we contact border guard stations right away to ensure a timely response.”
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