Today the first ever European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse is marked. The decision to establish the day was taken in May this year by all 47 member States of the Council of Europe.
One in five children under the age of 18 in Europe is a victim of sexual violence. In 70 - 85% of cases, the perpetrator is a person known to the child and part of their “circle of trust”. Much of the suffering remains hidden because children feel afraid to speak out: in 90% of cases, abuse is not reported to the police.
Daniel Mitov, Bulgarian Foreign Minister and Chair of the Committee of Ministers said: “Sexual violence is the worst form of violence against children. Not only because of the immediate suffering it causes, but also for the irreparable, lifelong damage to the victim’s physical and mental health. Today, we mark a Day when we – together – shout a resounding ‘NO’ to these brutal and inhuman acts against children.”
Marking the day, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland called on member states to raise awareness of child sex abuse and exploitation. “Our silence builds a protective wall around the perpetrators. We have a responsibility to shatter the taboos which are exploited by paedophiles, and governments can lead by example by backing the European Day’s activities.” He also called on all member States to ratify the Lanzarote Convention criminalizing all kinds of sexual offences against children, protecting victims and prosecuting perpetrators. Thirty-nine Council of Europe’s states have so far ratified the Lanzarote Convention. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Estonia, Ireland, Norway, Slovakia and the UK have signed, but not ratified it.
Anne Brasseur, the President of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly in her statement called upon all parliamentarians to give their full support to fighting sexual abuse and exploitation of children by organising events and debates on this day.
Извор: Совет на Европа – 18.11.2015
