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Current Situation concerning CAN in Greece 1 st Draft Report

This report provides an overview of the magnitude of child abuse in Greece, including the prevalence of different forms of abuse and the attitudes and behaviors of parents. It also examines the child protection system and the legal framework surrounding child abuse in the country.

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Current Situation concerning CAN in Greece 1 st Draft Report

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  1. Kick-off MeetingAthens, 7th – 9th December 2009 Current Situation concerning CAN in Greece1st Draft Report Antonia Tsirigoti

  2. The Magnitude of the Problem

  3. Epidemiology of Child Abuse • One Epidemiological Field Research for Child Abuse (2007-08) • 486 pupils at 1st year of high school & their parents inhabitating in islands with the largest population • of each Prefecture of the Northern Aegean Region • Lesvos • Limnos • Samos • Chios • of Dodekanisa Prefecture of the Southern Aegean Region • Rhodes • Kos • Data Collection Method and Research Tools • Children: Structured interview (ICAST-CH and ICAST-CI) • Parents: Self-completed questionnaire or structured interview (ICAST-P)

  4. Sample • Sample: 12,5% of the student population (504 students of 1st grade) • Method: Stratified cluster sampling Demographic Information

  5. Child Abuse in Home - Children Psychological abuse… • 33.1% - screamed at them very loud and aggressively • 16.8%-made them feel ashamed/embarrassed in front of other people in a way they will always feel bad about it • 5.9% -locked them out of the home for long time • 5.5% -threatened to leave them forever or abandon them • 29.4% -pulled their hair, pinched them or twisted their ear • 26.7% - hit, beat or spanked them by hand or object (4.5%) • 2.4% - made them upset by speaking to them in a sexual way or writing sexual things about them • 1.2%-touched their private parts or made them touch theirs • 0.2%-tried to have unwanted sex with them Physical abuse… Sexual abuse…

  6. Child Abuse in the context of family

  7. Parents’ responses 486 parents of 1st grade high school students • 98,3%of parents believe that corporal punishment should Not or Most probably Not be used as a method of discipline • 95,1% of parents believe that corporal punishment Never or Most of the times is NOT effective • 83.1%of parents have used at least one type of psychological violence, at some point of the child’s life, as a method of discipline • 71.3% of parents have used at least one type of physical violence, at some point of the child’s life, as a method of discipline Parent’s Beliefs… …and parents’ behaviours

  8. …Other studies • 1 in 3 children are being beaten at least once a week • 1 in 6 children are being beaten every day (Bakoula, Kavadias & Matsaniotis, 1993) • 591 interviews with mothers of 6 year-old & 12 year-old school children, revealed that 65.5% of mothers used corporal punishment to discipline their children (Fereti & Stavrianaki, 1997) • A study to male population of police officers showed that the 8% of men reported experience of sexual assault before the age of 18 (Maragos, Nova & Agathonos, 1996) • ICH retrospective study (Agathonos & Fereti, 1992) in 743 college students (18-20 years old) showed that the 17% of females & 7% of males had experienced sexual assault before the age of 18 (all forms of sexual assault ranging from indecent exposure to incest).

  9. Child Protection System • Public Prosecutor for Juveniles receive CAN accusations from: • Police Stations/ Departments of the Protection of Minors • Social Services of various Organizations (e.g. Municipalities, Hospitals, etc.) • NGOs • Orders investigation/assessment by: • Police • Municipalities’ Social Services • Documented cases  initiate legal process • Child remains home • Protection orders • Child is placed away from home • Very few institutions to host children – adoption & foster families are still underdeveloped • Bureaucracy and confusion regarding child care & child protection procedures in cases of abuse/neglect: who is responsible for what?

  10. UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is ratified by law in 1992 (Law 2101/1992) • Optional Protocol to the UNCRC on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography ratified by law in 2007 (Law 3625/2007) • There is no law devoted solely to CAN • National laws containing provisions about CAN: • Law 3500/2006 on Combating Domestic Violence  punishes sexual abuse (lewd acts) against minors committed by adults to whom is entrusted their supervision (even temporarily) • Prohibits physical violence against minors as “a penitentiary measure” in the context of their upbringing Legal framework International National

  11. Legal framework (2) • victims of DV are also juveniles who witness domestic violent acts • teachers informed or realized that a crime of domestic violence is committed against a student have to inform the school director who in turn reports the crime to the police • Law 3064/2002: Combat human trafficking, crimes against sexual freedom, children pornography and in general financial exploitation of sexual life • Penal Code protects minors against: • Seduction of children • Neglect • Pandering & child prostitution • Sexual exploitation • Physical violence • Sexual violence • Rape • Incest

  12. Legal framework (3) 1st National Action Plan for the Rights of the Child… • Core contents presented by the Minister of Health in 2007 but since then… National Action Plan on Reproductive & Sexual Health (2008-2012) aiming -among others- to decrease domestic violence & sexual abuse: • National information campaign aiming, inter alia to prevent sexual abuse • Revise the existing legal framework (more strict penalties for perpetrators of DV, trafficking of children and women or other cases of sexual exploitation) • Develop a monitoring registry for domestic violence • Sensitize professionals on sexual health & domestic violence • Develop manuals for early diagnosis of domestic violence.

  13. Identified problems • Lack of research/studies • lack of data • methodological problems of existing studies • Lack of systematically collected data • No monitoring systems for CAN • Lack of a coordinating & supervisory national institution • No mandatory reporting system • Use of different classification & assessment criteria of CAN cases among different Organizations • Lack of staff - unclear duties among the professionals and/or institutions

  14. Identified problems (2) • Lack of professionals’ education/ training • Lack of uniform criteria for screening & diagnostic criteria • Paucities regarding the legal framework • all provisions of the Convention are valid but not incorporated in a National Action Plan • the Convention has not yet been translated into concrete programs and policies • No National Plans • Law enforcement • The National Children’s Rights Observatory…. (2001) almost inactive

  15. UN Recommendations • The UN Committee of the Rights of the Child recommends to Greece based on the submitted initial report: • Harmonize legislation with the Convention’s principles & provisions • Strengthen implementation of domestic legislation towards improved protection of children’s rights • Develop data collection systemsand indicatorsconsistent with the Convention, with emphasis on child victims of abuse, neglect or ill-treatment • Trainingfor professionals with responsibility for children’s rights, children, parents and the general population • Education & awareness campaigns to inform teachers, parents, medical and law enforcement personnel about the harm of violence, including corporal punishment and about alternative, non-violent, forms of educating children

  16. UN Recommendations (2) • National program for prevention & reduction of CAN incidence • System for reporting & referral of cases of CAN • Appropriate measures for the protection of child victims • Rehabilitative assistance • Prosecution & treatment of alleged perpetrators of abuse and neglect • Strengthen capacity of social services to identify & treat cases of CAN • Strengthen the use of child-sensitive methods of investigation & presentation of court evidence • A comprehensive study on the extent, nature, causes & consequences of violence against children • Research on hiddensocio-economic costs of violence against children • …..

  17. Bibliography Agathonos, H., & Fereti, I. (1992). A retrospective study of child sexual abuse experiences among Greek college students. Proceedings of the Ninth International Congress on Child Abuse and Neglect, Chicago, 31 August - 2 September 1992. Bakoula, C., Kavadias, E. & Matsaniotis, N. (1993). Contradictions in the Greek family related to children’s upbringing – Pan-Hellenic Research. Paper presented at the 31st Panhellenic Pediatric Conference, Chalkidiki, Greece, June Fereti, I., & Stavrianaki, M. (1997). The use of physical punishment in the Greek family: selected socio-demographic aspects. International Journal of Child and Family Welfare, 2, 206-216. Maragos, C., Nova, C., & Agathonos, H. (1996). Knowledge and attitudes of police officers on issues of child abuse and neglect. Social Work, 11, 211-224. Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity. (2008). National Action Plan for Public Health: National Action Plan on Reproductive and Sexual Health. Athens: YYKA. Retrieved November 5, 2009 from: http://www.yyka.gov.gr/future/anakoinseis-egkyklioi/ethniko-s3a7edio-drasis-gia-ti-dimosia-ygeia/ethniko-schedio-drasis-gia-tin-anaparagogiki-kai-seksoyaliki-ygeia-2008-2013-2012/at_download/file Official Gazette of the Hellenic Republic. (1992). Law 2101/1992: Ratification of the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. National Printing Office, FEK 192/A’/ 2.12.1992. Official Gazette of the Hellenic Republic. (2007). Law 3625/ 2007: Ratification, implementation of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography and other provisions. National Printing Office, FEK 290/A’/ 24.12.2007.

  18. Bibliography Official Gazette of the Hellenic Republic. (2006). Law 3500/2006: For Combating Domestic Violence and Other Provisions. National Printing Office [FEK 232/A΄/ 24.10.2006]. Official Gazette of the Hellenic Republic. (2002). Law 3064/2002: combat human trafficking, crimes against sexual freedom, children pornography and in general financial exploitation of sexual life and assistance to the victims of such crimes. National Printing Office [FEK 248/A΄/ 15.10.2002]. UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). (2002). UN Committee on the Rights of the Child: Concluding observations: Greece [CRC/C/15/Add.170]. New York: UN. Retrieved October 30, 2009, from http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3d60c63019.html

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