Child abuse and sexual exploitation of children have expanded as phenomena during the past few years. Since 2014, when the intersectorial cooperation mechanism was launched for identifying cases of violence against children, the rate of detecting offenses against children rose by 80%. Even so, a lot of cases remain yet unidentified. In a news conference at IPN, the head of the National Center for Child Abuse Prevention (NCCAP), psychologist Daniela Sîmboteanu said the period during which a child suffers until this is identified can last for three-four years.
Pediatric Society president Ninel Revenco, doctor habilitate, said that in cooperation with the National Center for Child Abuse Prevention, they worked out the regulations concerning the identification and reporting of cases of negligence, abuse, violence against children. “Given the current epidemiological situation, the prevention, identification and reporting of cases of negligence, abuse, including sexual one, against children is a major and intricate problem. We, the Pediatric Society, support all the initiatives aimed at preventing, protecting and treating different cases, including of child sexual abuse. We consider the training of the medical staff, especially of the Primary Medical Assistance, Pre-Hospital Emergency Medical Assistance and Emergency Admission Units, will contribute to increasing the professional capacities for preventing, identifying and, what is more important, reporting and dealing with such cases,” stated Ninel Revenco.
To raise awareness among public opinion, the National Center for Child Abuse Prevention, in cooperation with OWH Studio, made a film. OWH Studio director Virgiliu Mărgineanu said this short film presents situations experienced by children as many people do not know and haven’t heard the logged worrisome figures.
Actress Lilia Cazacu, who played one of the main roles in the film, noted that her wish as a mother and as a citizen is for everyone to be very attentive to what is happening to children. The parents and doctors, in particular, should always notice the smallest behavioral changes.
Statistics for 2019 show that one in seven girls and one in 20 boys were subject to sexual abuse up to the age of 18.
