UNICEF: psychological, social service centre has supported 190 children victims of violence in Georgia
The UNICEF said it would continue working with the Government, civil society organisations and other partners to create a “safer and more supportive” environment for children in the country. Photo: UNICEF
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The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund on Wednesday said the Centre for Psychological and Social Services for Children Victims of Violence, an institution launched by the country with the support of the UNICEF and the Estonian Government, had supported up to 190 children victims of sexual violence in the country since its opening last year.
The UN body said the “child-friendly, multidisciplinary model” of the Centre had been launched to protect children victims of sexual violence from re-traumatisation and bring investigative actions and rehabilitation programmes into one space.
The organisation said the Centre was based on the Barnahus Model, originating in Iceland in 1998 and referring to multidisciplinary and interagency interventions organised in a child-friendly setting.
UNICEF has invited Bragi Gudbrandsson, a renowned professional of the Model and a member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, and Emma Harewood, the Co-founder of the first UK Barnahus institution, to support the Georgian Government in further strengthening the Centre.
Gudbrandsson said it had been a “wonderful experience” to learn about achievements in protecting and supporting child victims of sexual abuse in Georgia.
I have met dedicated and capable professionals here who are striving to do even better. We have shared the experience of Barnahus in many European countries with Georgian colleagues to help them to improve the justice system, child protection and health services and to better support children and their families”, he said.
The UNICEF said it would continue working with the Government, civil society organisations and other partners to create a “safer and more supportive” environment for children in the country.
The UN body also added the Georgian Government would establish a second such venue in the country’s third-largest city of Kutaisi to serve beneficiaries in the western part of the country by late 2024.
The first centre offering psychological and social services to child victims of violence has been launched in Georgia, with professionals working on investigation of cases and rehabilitation of minors, the Georgian Health Ministry announced on Tuesday.
A 13-year-old child, victim of sexual violence and her child, are in the care of the Agency For State Care And Assistance For the (Statutory) Victims of Human Trafficking, which also includes the services of a social worker and a psychologist, announces the agency.
On the occasion of the 6th European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the Council of Europe has raised the topic of preventing risky behaviour by children related to self-generating sexual images and/or videos especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Child abuse cases have decreased in Georgia by almost 30 per cent, with 1,146 cases reported in January and August 2020.The figure stood at 1,624 in the same period of last year, IPN writes, citing the Agency for State Care and Assistance for the Victims of Human Trafficking. The majority of the cases of child abuse included psycholgical viollence, neglect and coercion.