Nova TV: “Experts warn that because of this health crisis, children will also have problems with post-traumatic disorders”
On May 24, 2020, journalist Sanja Vištica published a contribution in the Dnevnik Nova TV about the increase in child abuse during the coronavirus pandemic. “Post-traumatic stress disorder often occurs with delay. And we can expect that 30-35 percent of our children in the fall will have elements of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and confusion” said the director of the Zagreb Child and Youth Protection Center, professor Gordana Buljan Flander, PhD.
“In the last two months, children have often called the Brave Phone for help. “They call a lot more about violence, violence in the family, against themselves, violence by siblings” said Hana Hrpka, president of the Brave Phone Association.
More and more of them appear via the Internet, more precisely via chat.
“They literally say, ‘Whatever I do is wrong. The parent is constantly nervous, constantly nervous and then the hand takes off. ‘It is not only physical violence, but they also talk about the numerous emotional violence they experience, about insults”, said Hrpka.
Statistics from the Ministry of the Interior show that violations of children’s rights are constantly on the rise when it comes to abuse and neglect. In the first four months, it grew by as much as 60 percent compared to the same period last year. For comparison, during March and April this year, 442 criminal offenses were recorded, and last year during the same two months, half as many criminal offenses were recorded – 222.
Child sexual abuse is on the decline, but we asked the police if it was an artificial fall due to a corona crisis. Namely, the police often find out because the children confide in someone in the area.
“That the child confided in a friend, so the friend told the mother and then the mother reacted and reported. In that part, it is certain that this pandemic could and has had an impact in reducing the number of reports “, said Anita Matijević from the Department of Juvenile Delinquency and Crime to the detriment of young people.
Numerous victims live with their abusers
I psychotherapists warn that numerous victims were closed with their abusers.
“Domestic violence is certainly much more present than reported in these months, and this will only become apparent in later months,” said Gordana Buljan Flander, Director of the Zagreb Child and Youth Protection Center.
And later it will be shown how this whole crisis affected the mental state of children.
“Post-traumatic stress disorder often occurs with delay. And we can expect that 30-35 percent of our children will have elements of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and confusion in the fall” point out Buljan Flander.
We asked the Ombudsman for Children Helena Pirnat Dragičević if she was satisfied with the work of the institutions during the pandemic.
“It is always possible and better. When it comes to children, it requires an urgent, urgent, adequate action, which, I am afraid, was missing in some situations” she replied.
However, it is important to report any doubts, and the responsibility for that lies with everyone. ”
Source: Nova TV: https://dnevnik.hr/vijesti/hrvatska/brojne-djeca-tijekom-epidemije-koronavirusa-trpe-nasilje—606485.html
Disclaimer: This is unofficial translation provided for information purposes. Zagreb Child and Youth Protection Center cannot be held legally responsible for any translation inaccuracy.
