Violence towards children- we are educating social services.

On 29th October 2012 the Interdisciplinary Team fulfilling tasks in the area of counteracting a violence in the family in Kowala Community was organiser of the training called “Violence towards the child” which took place in rooms of the Community Centre “Szansa”. A training was chaired by Mr Marcin Bednarczyk- pedagogue, sexologist, expert witness in the area of sexual and family problematic aspects in the District Court in Radom. The meeting was attended by representatives of various institutions: members of the Communal Interdisciplinary Team, social workers, family assistants, teachers, pedagogues, psychologists, nurses, community support workers, keepers, members of the Communal Commission for Solving Alcohol Problems, educators of community rooms, representatives of local non-governmental organizations. A host raised essential issues associated with violence: he portrayed etiology of the phenomenon, kinds of it, effects, emphasising sexual violence towards children. He explained how to behave with children, how to talk to them, what issues to raise, what to avoid for minimalizing the risk of juvenile’s sexual abuse. He determined symptoms indicating sexual assault of a child and said on what we should pay special attention. ‘We have to do with sexual abuse, when sexual activity appears between an adult and a child, but also between a child an another child, when these people stay in relation of care, dependence or power considering age difference or development’s level. 25% of women and 8% of men have experienced sexual assault in their childhood (WHO 2001). Sexual abuse of a child can last for many years, sometimes to adulthood. Majority of cases is not disclosed. Only one of every ten children will say somebody that is sexually abused. In 80% of sexual abuse cases a child knows its perpetrator. Participants had a possibility of asking questions during a training. Meeting ended with giving away of appropriate certificates.