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Description
The phenomenon of online abuse and sexual violence against children is growing alarmingly. Most children do not recognize and cannot detect types of sexual abuse, such as the fact that the abuser undresses in front of them or invites them to watch images with sexual content. Even when they recognize these forms, only 3 out of 5 children would talk to their parents and only half would call the police. Parents talk to their children about sexual abuse after the age of 11! 1 in 6 children say they know of friends or colleagues who have been sexually abused, 80% of the abused children have been girls. (Survey 2020, conducted by the Applicant). Specialists in the field do not have enough resources to deal with the exacerbation of the phenomenon, although the institution finds that the problem is worrying. It is necessary for NGOs to become more and more involved in the provision of complementary social services and to carry out more and more extensive campaigns that propose solutions. JUSTinACT devotes actions that encourage specialists to work in multidisciplinary teams and to train over 100 NGO employees. Assistance services will be provided for over 500 beneficiaries (children and parents from 2 regions). The project also focuses on organizational fundraising methods in connection with the identified problem and responds to the needs of awareness of children''s rights in the digital environment.
For the promoter and VedemJust Partner the project contributes through the organizational training and specialization to provide adequate services to the field, such as facilitating the exchange of good practices and development of strategies to combat abuse and improved child protection. The added value for the ECPAT Partner is given by the organizational tools developed by the project, which help the specialists from Romania to act more efficiently in the communities served and to expand the expertise for their own consultancy of a phenomenon that affects the all of Europe.
Summary of project results
The JUSTinACT project was completed on 31.07.2023, fulfilling all the objectives, actions and results set out in the grant application. The project has been promoted as a good practice by the Helsinki Committee, Active Citizen Fund, as a representative project to combat child abuse.
JUSTinACT has implemented a complex of integrated interventions, especially for prevention in case of abuse, addressing counselling services through 2 accredited centres, produced 3 guides dedicated to educators, parents and children disseminated through numerous online and offline workshops, advocacy campaigns and legislative changes for the criminalization of abuse. Several capacity building models have been imported and a Romania-Norway experience exchange network has been developed.
JUSTinACT has 2 accredited centres (in NE and NV) for 500 children and young people, respectively parents; provided specialisation services in identification, reporting and intervention in case of abuse for more than 1600 specialists and educators, capacity-building services for 16 NGOs and workshops for over 100 journalists, generating a guide taken over by CNA and CNA''s European network on media reporting of abuse; but also generated the creation of a thematic working group at the Romanian Government level. At the level of developing bilateral realities, the project has made a special contribution, through Ecpat, Romanian specialists and educators benefited from training on the Barnahus system of combating violence against minors and from training dedicated to NGOs for the use of effective and interactive management, evaluation and strategy tools.
Summary of bilateral results
At the level of developing bilateral realities, the project has made a special contribution, through Ecpat, Romanian specialists and educators benefited from training on the Barnahus system of combating violence against minors and from training dedicated to NGOs for the use of effective and interactive management, evaluation and strategy tools.