On 18 November, Europe celebrates the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. On this date, we would like to once again urge everyone not to be afraid to openly talk about the problem of sexual violence against children, thereby making a feasible contribution to the formation of a healthy society.
The topic of violence, both in the world of children and in the world of adults, unfortunately remains quite taboo, despite significant changes. The #metoo challenge in social networks , which in 2017 was supported by women who were victims of harassment, was the first large-scale action when victims mastered up the courage to openly talk about their traumatic experiences. They felt like they had a voice, even more so — like they were heard for the first time. The voices of children affected by sexual violence should also be heard.
Violence against children is a global problem, and Ukraine is no exception. Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are among the worst forms of violence against children. According to the Council of Europe research, 21% of Ukrainian children, that is, one in five children, experience various forms of sexual violence including corruption and rape. Every third child is a victim of physical violence, and every second child suffers from psychological abuse. Despite the stunning statistics, habits of keeping silent about the situation and pretending that everything is fine may be a reason why it is not generally acceptable to talk about this problem. Changes at the international and national levels have long begun, therefore society must have willingness to take responsibility for the common future.
Prevention of violence at the legislative level
On the legislative level, since 2012 Ukraine has been a party to the Council of Europe Convention on Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (Lanzarote Convention), which is the most ambitious and comprehensive international legal instrument aimed at preventing violence and protecting children from sexual exploitation and sexual violence, as well as bringing perpetrators to justice and promoting international cooperation in these areas.
Also, since 2018, Ukraine has been implementing a Project on combating violence against children within the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan (2018-2022). The activity is anchored in the Council of Europe strategy for the rights of the child (2016-2021) in particular, in three priority areas: a life free of violence, child-friendly justice, and children's rights in the digital environment. In addition, the project is part of the Council of Europe program "Building Europe for and with children".
The Project is aimed at reaching different categories of the population. The main activities include research, involvement of relevant specialists, development of informational and educational materials for various target groups, including parents and teachers, as well as holding training webinars and presentations. For children of different age categories, game training materials, digital manuals and video tutorials have been created that explain in a child-friendly manner what violence is, which forms it can take, how to identify an abuser and where to seek help.
“Currently, Ukraine has a strong legislative framework, national programs, the Council of Europe Action Plan, the Council of Europe Strategy for the Rights of the Child. Within the framework of the implementation of these instruments, high-level events, information campaigns, training events are held for various categories of specialists working with and for children, including police officers, prosecutors, judges, teachers, social workers, representatives of civil society, etc. However, the urgent need is to create zero tolerance for violence against children in society, when every one of us properly reacts to the facts of violence and does not keep silent about the problem and thereby creates an environment of trust for the child",- emphasises Olga Kalashnyk, Senior Project Officer of the Council of Europe project "Combating violence against children in Ukraine".
How to join the fight against child abuse and help to increase awareness of the problem and ways to combat it:
Know about children's rights, including in digital environment, and disseminate information about them. In case of a suspected violation of such rights, it is necessary to contact the police and other competent state authorities, contact the Commissioner for Children's Rights or public organisations that protect children's rights, and in the appropriate cases, contact the European Court of Human Rights.
Recognise that sexual abuse of children is closer than it seems. According to statistics, approximately one in five children in Europe are victims of some form of sexual violence; in four out of five cases of such violence, the abuser of the child is a person that the child knows. Sexual abuse of children can take many forms, including sexual abuse in the family or in the circle of trust, sexual exploitation (prostitution or creation of materials depicting sexual abuse), online sexual abuse and peer-to-peer abuse.
Know the contacts to reach in case of witnessed child abuse.
Since 2013, the CSO "La Strada-Ukraine" has been facilitating the operation of the National hotline for children and youth in Ukraine. Children, adolescents and youth have the opportunity to receive anonymous and confidential support in any difficult life situations - to consult with psychologists, lawyers, social workers and social educators. The adults reaching the helpline can get consultations about situations that concern children and violations of their rights.
Call 0 800 500 225 (from mobile or landline) or 116 111 (from mobile), calls are free and anonymous
If a child is missing, contact "Missing children service" at 116 000. Calls are free of charge, and parents are provided with psychological, legal, and social support at this hotline number. In November 2017, the NGO "Magnolia", which facilitates the operation of the hotline for missing children, joined the International Federation Missing Children Europe.
Be attentive to the children who are close to you, do not hesitate, speak, inform, warn and help. The safety of children depends on every one of us. Follow the Council of Europe projects and join the joint mission - a world without violence.
To learn more about Council of Europe activities in the field of children's rights, see: www.coe.int/children and https://www.coe.int/uk/web/kyiv/combating-violence-against-children-in-ukraine
The Council of Europe is the leading human rights organization on the continent. It consists of 47 member states, including all members of the European Union. All member states of the Council of Europe have signed the European Convention on Human Rights, an agreement designed to protect human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The European Court of Human Rights oversees the implementation of the convention in the member states.
