The Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child, the National Center for Preventing Child Abuse and NGOs dealing with social protection, family and children start a national campaign against beating children: “Notice me, Hear me, Help me,” Info-Prim Neo reports. The number of cases of violence against children can and must be reduced, Daniela Popescu, the head of the National Center for Preventing Child Abuses, stated on Wednesday, November 19, at a news conference. The campaign’s goal is to encourage the population and to make the experts accountable for the protection of children report the cases of physical abuse of children, in families. The campaign is meant to cast light on the fact that violence against children is a hidden phenomenon, concealed both by the abuser and the child. That is why, identifying and reporting the cases must come from the persons outside the family– neighbors, relatives, teachers, doctors or any other person witnessing the abuse. Encouraging to notify such abuse cases, the campaign’s organizers highlight the importance of reporting them to competent bodies. The cases can be signaled to the social assistant, the specialist of child protection within the social assistance sector, the inspector for minors from the Police Office, teachers, doctors, NGOs. The National Campaign “Notice me, hear me, help me” starts on November 19 and will last till March, 2009. Cases of violence on children can be reported at the phone number (022) 75-88-06 or by the e-mail – ajutauncopil@cnapc.org.md. A similar campaign was premiered in Poland, in 2007, by the Fund “Nobody's Children,” and this fall it is unfolding in Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Leetonia and Lithuania. According to the UNICEF’s 2007 report “Violence against children in Moldova,” 25% of children admit they have been beaten by their own parents, if they do not obey them, 7% of parents admit that they box their children when they are mistaken, and 4% - that they beat their children with different objects. Only 5% of the parents would report to the police if they see others beating their children. Children beaten at home are more vulnerable to become victims of sexual abuse, are worse adaptable at school and are submitted to a bigger risk to be beaten by teachers.