Data of the Council of Europe: 10% of children in developed countries are subject to sexual violence

The Council of Europe states that in developed Western countries, about every 10th child becomes a victim of sexual violence. To combat crimes of this kind, the Council will hold a specialized conference in Kiev on May 24, an employee of the organization’s apparatus was told to RIA Novosti .

“According to the statistical data, in developed Western countries, about every tenth child or a teenager becomes a victim of a sexual abuse in one form or another - incest, pornography, prostitution, human trafficking or harassment,” the agency’s interlocutor said.

According to him, in 70% -85% of cases of a person who committed an act of violence, children know personally, and in 90% of cases about the act of violence is not reported to law enforcement agencies.

"It is with the aim of combating these monstrous crimes that the Council will hold a specialized conference in Kyiv in Kiev as part of the Ukrainian chairmanship in the Committee of Foreign Ministers," the agency’s interlocutor said. He added that the event is supported by governments and other partners "for the complete eradication of violence against children."

Participants in the meeting will discuss measures aimed at raising standards regarding the protection of children. They intend to consider the creation of a specialized European consulting system and the rehabilitation system of children. In addition, the conference will also discuss the problem of access of victims to justice.

An employee of the Council recalled that in July 2007, Strasbourg adopted the Convention on the protection of children from the operation and encroachments of a sexual nature. In this document, for the first time, encroachment on children, including committed at home or relatives, is qualified as a criminal offense. The Convention fills the gaps and harmonizes the European legal framework to combat such crimes.

The upcoming conference in Kyiv will be held as part of the new social program of the Council of Europe in the fight against violence against children, presented in November last year in Rome. The company is designed to increase the level of public awareness of the scale of the problem among children, parents, teachers and help them prevent cases of sexual violence, as well as report them. The main goal of the campaign is the ratification of the 2007 Convention by all countries included in the European Council.