Trafficking and domestic violence won't be eradicated without specialized services, psychologist

Moldova needs specialized services for violent people and abused children. Otherwise, the phenomena of domestic violence, human trafficking and prostitution will not be eradicated through mere actions of the law enforcement agencies. This is the opinion of Lilia Gorceag, psychologist at the Center for Assistance and Protection of Victims and Potential Victims of Human Trafficking, reports Info-Prim Neo. The psychologist says that there has always been sexual abuse against minors in Moldova, but this problem has become more visible when the press started publishing more and more such cases. Lilia Gorceag said at a Investigation Journalists' Club session organized by the Investigative Journalism Center, that on average almost every village has one or two sexually abused children. “A rape or abuse victim feels filthy, as though good for nothing. Most prostitutes had either been raped, or had experienced incest. Abused minors begin to feel guilty, cannot start a family, hate sex and become loners”, said Lilia Gorceag. The psychologist underlined the importance of swift intervention in cases of sexual abuse. Referring to the necessity of specialized services for violent people, Lilia Gorceag pointed out that there also are under-age abusers, who are invulnerable before the law. They continue going to the same school as their victim. They cannot be jailed before 16 years of age. “So, what do we do? Wait until they turn 16, make some more mistakes, and lock them up for 25 years?”, asked Lilia Gorceag rhetorically. The psychologist says that services should be developed for men with aggressive behaviors as well. “We have a male case, a real psychopath. A protection order was issued for his wife, but he met her three months later and beat her up so bad that she was left more dead than alive. Or we have another case, a paranoid, who keeps his wife locked in the house, with barred windows; a maid comes to clean the house, but he ordered her no to let his wife out the house. He is very rich, is successful in business, since such people are very good with businesses, and are socially pleasant”, the psychologist pointed out. According to Lilia Gorceag, Moldova is in dire need of services for perpetrators, since people change when they someone who looks after them, and serves as role model. 310 protection orders were issued within the first 9 months of the year. 296 were issued to protect women and children, and 14 were issued for men.