Child abuse should not be hushed up, an expert says
by Karina Manukyan
ARMINFO
Friday, December 12, 17:38
Over the past 10 years, 60 criminal cases have been instituted in
Armenia regarding nfliction of grievous bodily injuries to minors and
140 more cases related to sexual assaults, David Tumasyan, lawyer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan, said at a press conference on Friday.
The quantitative indices of child abuse in Armenia are lower than
those in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Tumasyan said that the children from needy families are the most
vulnerable group. As regards sexual assaults, the expert pointed out
cases of assaults by the children's relatives (e.g. fathers-in-law,
uncles).
The major part of the crimes against minors has been registered in
Yerevan. Tumasyan thinks this may be the result of the fact that in
rural communities and other towns the victims' relatives prefer to
keep silence because they fear to spoil the child's future (for
instance, to deprive him/her of the opportunity to start a family in
the future).
In the meantime, the expert pointed out that last year Armenia
toughened the legislation on sexual assaults against minors.
Tumasyan calls on the parents to be more attentive to their children's
behavior. For instance, the parents should be concerned over the
children's sudden reluctance to go to school to go to the yard. In
case the parents reveal the crime, they should not blame the child,
because their reproach may harm the children even more.
The expert also recommends consulting a psychologist.
From: A. Papazian
by Karina Manukyan
ARMINFO
Friday, December 12, 17:38
Over the past 10 years, 60 criminal cases have been instituted in
Armenia regarding nfliction of grievous bodily injuries to minors and
140 more cases related to sexual assaults, David Tumasyan, lawyer at
the OSCE Office in Yerevan, said at a press conference on Friday.
The quantitative indices of child abuse in Armenia are lower than
those in Azerbaijan and Georgia.
Tumasyan said that the children from needy families are the most
vulnerable group. As regards sexual assaults, the expert pointed out
cases of assaults by the children's relatives (e.g. fathers-in-law,
uncles).
The major part of the crimes against minors has been registered in
Yerevan. Tumasyan thinks this may be the result of the fact that in
rural communities and other towns the victims' relatives prefer to
keep silence because they fear to spoil the child's future (for
instance, to deprive him/her of the opportunity to start a family in
the future).
In the meantime, the expert pointed out that last year Armenia
toughened the legislation on sexual assaults against minors.
Tumasyan calls on the parents to be more attentive to their children's
behavior. For instance, the parents should be concerned over the
children's sudden reluctance to go to school to go to the yard. In
case the parents reveal the crime, they should not blame the child,
because their reproach may harm the children even more.
The expert also recommends consulting a psychologist.
From: A. Papazian