Filenews 13 March 2023
Over the past two years, the number of children referred for investigation for sexual abuse has remained consistently above 400, the humanitarian organization "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Centre (HFC) said in a statement.
According to the announcement, "despite the undeniable progress recorded in recent years in various areas related to the protection of the Rights of the Child in Cyprus, the data recorded by the humanitarian organization "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Centre through its multidimensional action, continue to be of concern".
Indicatively, it notes that in the last two years the number of children referred for investigation for sexual abuse remains consistently above 400, while the housing and rehabilitation needs of unaccompanied children continue to be large and imperative.
HFC says that since its establishment in 2008 it has stood by thousands of children through the multilevel programs it implements which are constantly upgraded in order to serve more and more children. However, the data, he adds, in 2022, show the need to further intensify this effort, at a collective level.
According to data, 2022 children were referred to the "House of the Child" in 439 for investigation for sexual abuse, a number that continues to be high, despite the decrease recorded compared to 2021 when 483 children were referred to the Facility.
According to the Co-ordinator of the CP, Tania Massia, "although we are still processing the data of 2022, empirically it seems that the percentage of cases that were criminally examined last year and therefore entered into psychological evaluation and an overall assessment of the needs of the family, is greater than in 2021".
The management and operation of the CP have been assigned to "Hope For Children" CRC Policy Center by the Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, and its supervision and subsidy have been undertaken by the Social Welfare Services (SWS). The CP operates with the direct and systematic cooperation of the Cyprus Police, the Social Welfare Services, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Education.
Moreover, more than 170 children were accommodated in 2022 in the "Houses of Hope" shelters and in the semi-independent living facilities for unaccompanied children under the guardianship of the Director of the Social Welfare Services operated by Hope For Children.
According to Katerina Melissari, Coordinator of the Department of Child Protection, the majority of children accommodated in the shelters range between 13-17 years old, while in semi-independent living from 16 to 18 years old.
In 2022, HFC supported 231 approved foster families (couples or solitary individuals) nationwide, while 101 cases are under evaluation. In total, in all provinces, approximately 162 children are hosted in foster families supported by the Organization. The number of families increased to approximately 50% in 2022.
"Although we often receive new foster care applications, our main goal remains to attract new prospective foster families, as a large number of the existing ones involve kinship foster care. So often when the need arises for the placement of a child there is difficulty in finding a family, due to the above condition", says the Coordinator of the program Marianna Savva.
In the wider context of HFC's activity, it is mentioned that particularly important are the actions taken to educate children, of all age groups, about their rights and obligations, through experiential non-formal learning activities, using, among other things, handbooks of the Council of Europe. Through the implementation of this program, in 2022, more than 4,500 children have been trained in public and private schools in thematic areas, including children's rights, school bullying, diversity, anger management, hate speech, racism, prevention of sexual abuse, etc.
Important mechanisms to which children and parents can turn for help are the lines operated by HFC, namely the 24-hour National Support Line 1466, the European Helpline for Children and Adolescents 116111, and the 24-hour European Hotline for Missing Children 116000. The two European lines operate in cooperation with SPAVO. It is worth noting that the national helpline 1466, in 2022 alone, responded to 700+ phone calls to provide support and guidance services.
HFC Executive Director Andria Neocleous said that "every day we witness the spread of child violence and abuse."
"Today violence towards children can occur in any context," he said, adding that "we are never complacent and we do not limit our programs, as we recognize that our role is important for society, with the aim of both preventing and addressing violence against children, which requires a systematic effort to limit risks and find protective factors against all conditions that make up risk factors in an individual, interpersonal and social level."
For more information about the humanitarian programs of "Hope for Children" CRC Policy Centre you can call the 22103234 or go to www.uncrcpc.org.cy website.
CNA
