Resource centre - Violence against children (VAC)
This resource centre offers access to international, European and national tools and mechanisms that have been developed to respond to various forms of violence against children (VAC), including through prevention, protection of children and support to victims.
Special emphasis is put on integrated strategies following multi-sectorial and multi-stakeholder approaches as promoted by Recommendation CM/Rec(2009)10 of the Committee of Ministers on Guidelines on Integrated National Strategies for the Protection of Children from Violence. The “filtering tool” on the present page facilitates the access to specific categories of information to be selected from a list.
“ALUPSE-DIALOGUE” service, Luxembourg
Description: Service for children, adolescents and young people up to 21 who are the victims of any kind of violence or abuse, as well as their families, or professionals with questions about helping or protecting a child. Run by the Luxembourg NGO Alupse. Available in French.
“CAPable children”, Belgium
Description: CAP (Child Assault Prevention) project by the Belgian NGO Garance, which has now been replicated in approximately 20 countries. Available in French, English, Spanish and German.
“chat ANAR for helping children at risk”, Spain
Description: Anonymous and free of charge resource for helping children at risk to find solutions to their problems – with the help of qualified psychologists Available in Spanish.
“HRABRI telefon” - National telephone hotline number 116 111, Croatia
Description: HRABRI telefon (Brave Phone) is a non-governmental organisation offering a National hotline for children and parents. The National hotline is a free, anonymous telephone line providing counselling services for all children, regardless of the problem they are facing (family violence,...
“The Safe Internet League” website, Russian Federation
Description: Russian online website for the promotion of online safety. Contains a “parents and teachers” educational section and assists the authorities in tackling harmful online content, including child pornography and materials which encourage violence. Founded by Saint Basil the Great...
“Violence in relationships” video, Portugal
Description: Portuguese campaign video to raise awareness about violence within romantic relationships, by Projeto ST-e7g. Available in Portuguese.
Childhood violence: long-lasting traces? A longitudinal study of revictimization, health, substance abuse and social relations among young people who have experience violence in childhood, Norway
Description: Report on the long-term outcomes for children exposed to violence, published by The Norwegian Centre for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies (NKVTS) in 2019. Based on a prevalence study on violence and sexual assault conducted in 2013. Available in Norwegian.
Collaborating against child abuse – Exploring the Nordic Barnahus model
Description: This 2017 book contributes to the evolving research field that has developed in parallel with the implementation of the Nordic Barnahus (“Children’s House”) model. The book gathers information from all Nordic countries and offers an interdisciplinary and comparative approach to the...
Coordination Strategy Document for Child Protection Services 2014-2019, Turkey
Description: Document published in January 2014 by UNICEF identifying the child protection system model planned to be developed and implemented in Turkey. It presents 10 main strategic goals, including the prevention aspect, and targets to be reached by 2019. Available in Turkish.
Cruel, inhuman and degrading: ending corporal punishment in penal systems for children, 2015
Description: This report, published for the 2015 World Congress on Juvenile Justice, held in Geneva in January 2015, identifies the states where children may be lawfully flogged, whipped and caned under secular, religious and/or customary systems of justice. It also identifies the many immediate...
Ending corporal punishment of children – a handbook for working with religious communities, 2015
Description: This handbook provides links to tools and resources for engaging with and enlisting the support of religious communities and faith-based institutions towards the prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment of children. It recognises the crucial role that religious communities...
Ending legalised violence against children by 2030: Progress towards prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment of children in Pathfinder countries, 2018
Description: Prepared for the Agenda 2030 for Children: End Violence Solutions Summit held in Stockholm, Sweden, in February 2018, this report tracks progress towards prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment of children in Pathfinding countries. Available in English.
Global progress on the prohibition of corporal punishment of children: maps and tables
Description: Interactive map and tables providing information on the legality of corporal punishment of children in every state, territory and region. Available in English.
Global report 2018: Progress towards ending corporal punishment of children
Description: Our latest annual global reports tracking progress towards ending corporal punishment of children. It highlights the major achievements of 2018, as well as the areas in need of most urgent attention, and looks forward to 2019. Available in English.
Individual country reports on the status of corporal punishment of children in every state
Description: Detailed individual country reports on the legality and prevalence of corporal punishment of children in every state and territory. Available in English and French
Internet hotline/telephone hotline number 116 000, Croatia
Description: The non-governmental organisation Centre for Missing and Abused Children is the holder of the right to the internet hotline number 116 000 acting to promote, protect, and improve the rights of children, and to prevent and combat all forms of violence against children and youth...
Kiko and the Hand
Description: The book and TV spot featuring Kiko and the Hand help children understand that their bodies belongs to them, that there are good and bad secrets and good and bad touches. Available in Arabic, Basque, Bosnian, Catalan, Croatian, Czech, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Galician, Greek,...
National Comparative Survey on Media Habits of Children and Their Parents and Safety of Children on the Internet, Croatia
Description: The overall objective of the research by HR Kids Online was to gain a better insight into the children's habits when using the Internet and modern technologies, to examine the frequency and forms of exposure of children to disturbing content and violence, and to examine the...
National network TOM – helpline for children and adolescents, Slovenia
National helpline and web page with information and educational materials about childhood, including all forms of violence. Available in Slovenian
National survey on information security within the project "Safer Internet Centre Croatia", Croatia
Description: The research was conducted as part of a three-year project by the Faculty of Upbringing and Educational Sciences in cooperation with the Centre for Missing and Abused Children. The study was conducted on a sample of 3000 high school pupils. The aim of the research was to define...
Non-violent Childhoods: Moving on from corporal punishment in the Baltic Sea Region, 2018
Description: A series of guidance reports promoting effective implementation of legal bans on corporal punishment. They were developed following a series of national consultations and expert meetings held across the Baltic Sea Region as part of a two-year project, Non-violent Childhoods: Moving...
Official statistics on risk assessment in German child protection services, Germany
Description: 2017 presentation by TU Dortmund University, in association with the TU-DJ Research Network, on risk assessment (“8a”) statistics in German child protection services. Available in English.
Positive discipline resources
Description: A wide range of resources for the promotion of positive, non-violent discipline among parents, teachers, other adults who work with children and children and young people themselves. Available in Arabic, English, Estonian, French, Portuguese, Russian, Serbian, Spanish and Welsh.
Progress towards prohibiting all corporal punishment of children in EU member states, 2015
Description: This briefing graphically illustrates the progress made to date in the region, where, as of 2015, 19 of the 28 European Union member states have enacted legislation prohibiting corporal punishment of children in all settings, including the home. It also sets out what needs to be done...
Prohibiting All Corporal Punishment of Children: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions, 2017
Description: A series of three booklets providing answers to questions that arise when thinking about prohibiting all corporal punishment of children, aiming to give parents and carers, government officials, education professionals and others the confidence to support and pursue legal reform....
Prohibiting violent punishment of girls and boys – a key element in ending family violence, 2015
Description: This briefing, prepared for the 59th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, held in March 2015, considers prohibition of corporal punishment in the context of domestic violence / family protection laws. It sets out the reasons why excluding prohibition of corporal...
Prohibition of violent punishment of children: a critical step towards fulfilling the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, 2016
Description: This briefing sets out, for each of the 22 states to be reviewed at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in July 2016, the law reform necessary to achieve prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings and the latest information on prevalence of corporal...
Report: Ending corporal punishment of children: A short guide to law reform, 2019
Description: This guide aims to support governments and civil society working to end violence against children through effective prohibition of corporal punishment. The guide sets out the key stages of law reform, provides an overview of the work involved with essential hints and tips, and points...
Safer Internet Centre, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Description: Website with child-friendly information on the positive and negative aspects of the digital world; information on a helpline and an online reporting mechanism for illegal content, including child sexual abuse material or violence. Set up by the International Forum of Solidary –...
Sexual abuse on Internet in Norway 2015 – 2017, Norway
Description: The report describes the phenomenon of sexual abuse on Internet based on review of research literature and research on Internet based sexual abuse in Norway. Available in Norwegian.
Summary of research on corporal punishment of children
Description: Two summaries of research relating to the corporal punishment of children, one addressing the negative effects of corporal punishment (2016), the other exploring research on the positive impact of prohibition (2015). Available in English.
Teaching without violence: prohibiting corporal punishment, 2019
Description: This briefing summarises progress towards prohibition and elimination of corporal punishment in schools worldwide. It highlights the states where this practice remains lawful, sets out the key elements of making prohibition a reality, and showcases programmes by our partners around...
Violence and abuse against children and young people. Scope and trends 2007-2015, Norway
Description: The extent of violence and child abuse has been mapped both in Norway and internationally. The report is based on a nationally representative survey of high school graduates. Available in Norwegian and English (summary).
Website with documentation about child protection and wellbeing, Spain
Description: Online documentation centre about child abuse in Spain. Available in Spanish.
Working towards universal prohibition of corporal punishment: A special report for the high-level global conference held by H.E. the President of Malta, 2018
Description: Prepared for the High Level Global Conference on the Universal Prohibition of Corporal Punishment organised under the patronage of Her Excellency Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca, President of Malta, this special report outlines progress to date towards universal prohibition and...
