Strasbourg, 30.11.2010 – Carina Ohlsson (Sweden, SOC), Chair of PACE’s Sub-committee on Children, has spelled out the legal changes that are needed across Europe to protect children against sexual abuse.
Speaking today at a panel session during the launch, Mrs Ohlsson said strong laws, properly enforced, were vital for success. Among other things, these should lay down that child abuse can be prosecuted even when victims do not bring charges, abusers face justice even if the offences took place a long time ago, and staff working with children are properly vetted by police.
She also stressed the need for methods and procedures that focus on the child, highlighting in particular the example of Childrens’ Advocacy Centres – sometimes called “childrens’ houses” – set up in Sweden and elsewhere. These bring all the agencies involved – police, social services, health and legal professionals – together under one roof, ensuring that child victims are not ‘handed over’ from one office to the next, having to tell their story many times over.
Speaking later on the same day, PACE’s rapporteur on child abuse in institutions Marlene Rupprecht (Germany, SOC) made an appeal for anybody in contact with a child who feels that sexual abuse may be a problem to speak up for the child immediately.
Speaking during a panel discussion, Mrs Rupprecht – who is also the “contact parliamentarian” for Germany – said speaking up for children at risk of sexual abuse should be one of the main messages of the campaign. She quoted the slogan of a current German campaign on the same topic: “Breaking the silence means breaking the power of offenders”.
