Children as Victims of Sexual Abuse
Children as Victims of Sexual Abuse

Summary/Abstract: Sexual exploitation of children and all forms of sexual abuse of children is a serious problem encountered in the modern society. The phenomenon of sexual abuse of the children is a serious threat to society as a whole because it must continually find new, appropriate preventive measures and mechanisms for its prevention and further spread. Sexual abuse of girls and boys is global, and alarming is the fact that most of these occurrences remain wrapped in silence. In most cases, victims suffer lifelong consequences on their health, as well as mental and psycho-social situation and development. Therefore, the abuse remains one of the biggest violations of children's rights and causing ever greater concern for states and societies. In this paper we analyze the existing data, as well as the dynamics and occurrence of sexual delicts in the Republic of Macedonia and the Balkans, especially concentrating children as victims. The goal is to identify the characteristics of child victims and profiles of the perpetrators of sexual abuse. Methods: In this paper we used the descriptive method and analysis of official statistics documentation checks for criminal acts committed by 2001 - 2013 in Macedonia and statistical breakdown of crimes committed in the Balkan countries. Conclusion: In the Republic of Macedonia in the previous period increasingly evident are cases of sexual abuse of children. Raising awareness of the cultural, social and educational level of citizens contributes to openly talk about topics that until recently were embarrassing to speak about, to recognize this social and criminogenous appearance and timely be required and provide protection by competent institutions. Such crimes against sexual freedom and morality justified triggered public reactions, more often because as the object of attacks are children up to 14 years. The sex attacks on children and juveniles are about two-thirds of the total number of sexual delicts in Macedonia.

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