Post a Comment Print Share on Facebook

“Can blind you to abuse in your own environment”

When the opinion research institute Forsa asked in a representative survey a year ago where children and young people are most likely to be exposed to sexual abuse, 87 percent of those questioned answered: “In their own family and relatives.

- 10 reads.

“Can blind you to abuse in your own environment”

When the opinion research institute Forsa asked in a representative survey a year ago where children and young people are most likely to be exposed to sexual abuse, 87 percent of those questioned answered: “In their own family and relatives.” And 75 percent named “neighbours, friends and acquaintances the family". A high and also realistic value.

However, when the same people were asked whether sexual abuse of children and young people could also happen in their immediate environment, 85 percent considered it unlikely or even impossible.

It can't be what shouldn't be: This condition is commonly described as cognitive dissonance. If different perceptions do not match, everything is done to make them coherent again. The unpleasant thought is wiped away. And the child who might have been helped is left in the lurch.

Thousands of child sexual abuse cases have been reported consistently for years. But that is only the police bright field, the dark field is much larger. It is estimated that one or two children per school class are affected by sexual violence of varying degrees. In around three quarters of the cases, the perpetrator comes from their own family or from their immediate social circle.

But as the Forsa survey shows, awareness of this is still underdeveloped. "The idea that sexual violence is taking place somewhere else serves to calm one's own self - but can blind one to possible abuse in one's own environment," says Kerstin Claus, the independent representative for questions relating to child sexual abuse.

It is this contradiction that is now to be resolved with an information and awareness-raising campaign initiated by the Abuse Commissioner and the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs. The leitmotif of posters, TV and radio spots is catchy. "Don't go with strangers" it says, for example - and then something like: "And if it's not a stranger at all?" - "Get in touch when you're at home" - "And if the way home isn't the problem at all?"

"Only if I allow the thought that children in my personal environment are also being subjected to sexual violence can I act if necessary," says Family Minister Lisa Paus (Greens). "Therefore, our central message is: Don't push the thought away." The aim is to raise awareness that abuse does not only happen in institutions, but in most cases in the children's familiar environment. The main aim of the campaign was to show possible courses of action and to make help portals better known.

"Only those who recognize abuse as a real danger and get informed can act effectively when it comes to better protecting children and young people from abuse," says Claus. It is important to first find out about a suspicion and seek advice. “Children cannot simply leave their families. They are economically and emotionally dependent.”

The campaign, which is designed to last several years, is intended to strengthen local networks and community initiatives with a variety of information material and to support them with a campaign office. Five million euros have been set aside in the budget for this and the coming year.

According to the findings of the investigation commission, to which victims of sexual violence can report, in every second case the father or the stepfather or foster father is the perpetrator and in ten percent of the cases the mother. Children are often helplessly exposed to abuse for long periods of time. The number of unreported cases is far greater than the number of around 15,500 cases last reported to the police in 2021. Claus therefore named the creation of a center for prevalence research as one of her most important goals in order to obtain reliable figures.

All relevant information on the campaign is bundled on the website www.hilfe-portal- Abuse.de.

"Kick-off Politics" is WELT's daily news podcast. The most important topic analyzed by WELT editors and the dates of the day. Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music or directly via RSS feed.

Avatar
Your Name
Post a Comment
Characters Left:
Your comment has been forwarded to the administrator for approval.×
Warning! Will constitute a criminal offense, illegal, threatening, offensive, insulting and swearing, derogatory, defamatory, vulgar, pornographic, indecent, personality rights, damaging or similar nature in the nature of all kinds of financial content, legal, criminal and administrative responsibility for the content of the sender member / members are belong.