The Save the Children branch in Romania recently announced the opening of Barnahus, a center in Bucharest dedicated to the protection of sexually abused children and children who were victims of extreme domestic violence.

The center operates according to a model of complex, integrated psychological services. It aims to be part of a new support system for abused children that involves state institutions and the prosecutors’ office, one in which the child is exposed as little as possible.

“It is essential that all actors involved in the procedures that are triggered after the disclosure of a case of abuse act in the best interests of the child, including by avoiding the risk of re-traumatization. Such an objective is difficult to achieve without multidisciplinary cooperation,” said Ioana Cătălina Cocoveică, a prosecutor in Bucharest’s Sector 6. She argues that a framework that facilities cooperation between institutions and protects underage victims is paramount.

The new Barnahus center will offer a common organization and operational space for institutional actors involved in protecting children who have been sexually abused. It aims to be a space that is receptive to the needs of the children, warm and welcoming, and protective of their testimonies.

Save the Children argues that there is an undisputable need for this center and others like it in Romania. Data gathered by the organization in 2021 shows that approximately 3% of parents in Romania say that their child has been a victim of sexual abuse in the previous year. Moreover, 2.9% of teenagers say that they were sexually abused in the same period.

Save the Children also highlights the large number of underage mothers in Romania, as well as the few – and soft – punishments given to proven pedophiles. Taken together, the figures are indicative of systemic failures when it comes to protecting minors.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Save the Children)