Izmir Lifelong Support Academy: DON'T TOUCH ME Project
Izmir Lifelong Support Academy has launched a serious fight against sexual abuse crimes against children. DON'T TOUCH ME Project, is defined as a mobilization in which the necessary training will be provided for children and parents. The project is carried out with the aim of raising awareness about sexual abuse and preventing such crimes.
Project Goals and Objectives
The project was designed as an educational program to ensure the safety of children and raise awareness among families. Izmir Lifelong Support Academy will be established for individuals with special needs until 2025. Lifetime Support Assistant aims to increase social awareness by starting an education program. Speaking at the project's introduction event, the academy's administrators emphasized that they will undertake social responsibility projects and take important steps towards the protection of children.
Statistics: The Frightening Facts
Serkan Esen has revealed how serious a problem sexual abuse is with the statistics shared in the project. According to the World Health Organization, every four one of the daughters and each on One in 18 boys are sexually abused by the age of XNUMX. UNICEF reports that every year 120 million indicates that the girl child is exposed to some kind of sexual violence. According to the data of the Ministry of Justice in Türkiye, in 2022, approximately 23.000 lawsuits were filed. In 46% of these cases, it was determined that the victims were under the age of 18.
Who is the Perpetrator in Abuse Cases?
In addition to the statistics, it has been revealed that in most cases of abuse, the perpetrator is someone the child knows and trusts. Approximately 85% of the abuse occurs in environments considered safe for the child, namely their home or the perpetrator's home. The most common perpetrators include fathers, stepfathers, uncles, teachers and neighbors. This situation questions the relationship of trust within the family.
Let's Hear the Voices of Children
Serkan Esen stated that children are often silent, but their bodies speak through this silence. The duty of us adults is to hear this silent scream and create an active society to protect children. The first step in preventing sexual abuse is not to ignore this situation and to ensure that children grow up in a safe environment. It should not be forgotten that silence increases crime.
Experts' Opinions
In the later part of the program, various experts made presentations on the subject. Expert family counselor Arzu CakirIn his presentation titled “Broken Trusts Like Broken Toys”, he focused on the traumas experienced by children after abuse. In addition, Ferhat Yilmaz, emphasized the importance of communication within the family by discussing the subject of “The Strongest Shield Against Abuse: Open Communication in the Family”.
The Power and Responsibility of Educators
Prof. Dr. Gunseli Yildirim, in his presentation titled “Awareness and Intervention; The Power and Responsibility of the Educator”, expressed how important the role of educators is in this regard. Educators have the duty to raise awareness about sexual abuse in children and to intervene when necessary.
Legal Responsibilities and Precautions
Attorney at Law Ali Baris Ercan, addressed the subject of “Prevention of Neglect and Abuse and Legal Responsibilities” and provided information on how legal processes should work regarding sexual abuse. Legal gaps and deficiencies can lead to an increase in abuse cases. Therefore, effective implementation of legal regulations is of great importance in terms of raising awareness in society on this issue.
Social Participation and Awareness
Izmir Lifelong Support Academy aims to increase social participation and raise awareness about sexual abuse through the projects it carries out. Necessary steps are taken for children to grow up in a safe environment through educational programs and seminars. As a society, everyone needs to take responsibility to prevent sexual abuse.
Thank You Plaque Ceremony
At the end of the program, Izmir Lifelong Support Academy presented plaques of appreciation to the names of those who supported. Such thanks provide motivation for future projects and contribute to the spread of social responsibility awareness.
