Presentation prepared on the occasion of the Y-SAV project (Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimization Europe),
Presented by Ivan Tanev - volunteer member of the Gender Alternatives Foundation,
Amsterdam, 28 March 2013
The General Picture
In Bulgaria there is still high tolerance towards the use of physical violence as an educational means which varies in degree for the different communities, social strata, urban and rural areas. According to experts, this tolerance is found both in the parents’ understanding and society in general which also includes institutions such as schools, police, prosecutor’s office, the court and so on .
That is directly connected with the ways sexual violence against young people is recognized and reported. According to the chairperson of the State Agency for Child Protection, however, there is an improvement in the work of social services and law enforcement bodies in the recent years . For example, whereas few years ago the persons convicted for such crimes were single cases, in 2012 there are already 310 initiated legal proceedings under the Criminal Code. The convicted persons for this period are 270. This data comprises 15% of all cases of sexual violence registered in the last year. This increase shows that the legal system is more sensitive and restrictive to perpetrators of crimes against children and youths. On the other hand, most of the offenders receive a suspended sentence or are put under a probation period .
The worrying fact is that 85% of the children or young people who have become victims of sexual violence have had close relations with the perpetrator. In 40% of the cases the perpetrator appears their father, stepfather or partner of the mother, brother, grandfather. In the majority of cases - 75%, revealing the abuser is accidental, because children are afraid and ashamed to speak of the violence against them. According to experts, younger children do not understand initially that they are victims of sexual abuse. They realize that when they grow up and only then share it. However, there is a significant number of young people who do not admit it at all due to fear or shame. Statistics also shows that the number of sexual assaults against children at the age of 12 to 14 and 14 to 18 is approximately equal . In 2011 every third child is a victim of physical violence, while every 8th one – of sexual abuse.
The cases dealt by the Child Protection Departments in 2012 refer to sexual violence which most often happens in the home. A worrying fact is the ongoing practice in some ghettos and ethnic groups to perform early marriage and the sale of young brides. On the one hand, early marriages are often combined with “arranged marriages” and even “forced marriages”: usually it is the parents who initiate this form of cohabitation. Very frequently, this leads to early school leaving, which is related to limiting the further appropriate social realization of the person. Early marriages are usually followed by “early births”, because – at least with the traditional Roma families, as well as the marginalized ones) the married woman is expected to prove that she can give birth: she is highly appreciated as the continuer of the family and if she cannot fulfil this role, she has to bear one of the heaviest stigmas. Frequently, different forms of domestic violence, divorces, and diseases among these young mothers accompany early marriages, etc .
The chairperson of the State Agency for Child Protection defines this phenomena as a classic form of sexual violence against a child – when parents allow their child to be sold as a bride or to be married despite that there are no formal documents for this procedure. It is rather a ritual and as a consequence the girl child gets pregnant at the age of 12 or 13.
It has recently been reported in the media that there is an increase in the cases of children involved in sexual activities through the Internet. However, there is no official statistics on this issue.
The Gender Alternatives Foundation’s work on prevention of sexual violence against children and young people.
GAF’s everyday work is focused on helping women and young people with focus on girls victims of gender based violence and discrimination. We implement free of charge services, represent victims in national and international courts and lead trainings with young people.
Our youth program consists of trainings and awareness raising campaigns in the rural areas of Plovdiv region and concern the topics of human rights in particular prevention of violence, including sexual violence, discrimination, sexual and reproductive health and rights.
An important part of our work also includes legal assistance to youths who have been abused by their relatives where cases of sexual violence are not rare. In that regard, we frequently cooperate with state services such as Police, Social Assistance Directorate and Child Protection Department.
For the last year we have initiated 34 cases for protection of women and their children. 6 of them concern children and their mothers against who there was sexual violence. In one of the cases we defended the rights of 5 siblings who have been systemically tortured by their father. The children themselves signaled the Child Protection Department who after investigating the situation revealed shocking domestic environment. The mother refused to cooperate, defending the perpetrator. The GAF's legal team engaged with the case in order to secure the protection and wellbeing of the children.
Presentation was prepared by Rada Elenkova and Ivan Tanev
Gender Alternatives Foundation, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
References:
Петрова-Димитрова, Н. 2005. Сексуалното насилие над деца. Анализ на ситуацията в България. София, стр. 4.
http://www.mediapool.bg/над-300-случая-на-насилие-над-деца-от-началото-на-годината-news166998.html
http://sacp.government.bg/interviuta-publikacii/kalin-kamenov-80-ot-sluchaite-za-nasilie-nad-deca-se-sluchvat-v-/
http://www.dnes.bg/obshtestvo/2011/11/22/vsiako-treto-dete-u-nas-jertva-na-nasilie.134562
Preventing Early Marriages, Amalipe Center for Interethnic Dialogue and Tolerance — V. Tarnovo, 2011 http://amalipe.com/files/publications/ranni%20brakove%20last.pdf