Instances of child sexual abuse and domestic violence against children are on the rise each year, with the relevant authorities expressing grave concern.
However, the fact that these incidents are being reported is, at the very least, a positive development, as the silence has been broken and paedophiles are being brought to court.
A telling comment was made to Phileleftheros by Koulla Lambrianidou, Assistant Director of the Crime Combat Department and Head of the Management of Vulnerable Persons Cases (YDIEP), who stated that the dark figure of these crimes is beginning to come to light.
According to YDIEP data, in the last six years, from 2018 to 2023, including the first quarter of 2024, 1,552 cases of child sexual abuse have been reported to the police.
Additionally, in the five-year period from 2018 to 2022, 1,910 cases of domestic violence (non-sexual) against children were reported. These numbers are alarming, as they only represent the cases that have come to light, excluding child pornography cases.
Lambrianidou stated that reports of child sexual abuse do not always involve family violence. Only a small number of cases involve both, as a very small percentage of children who report abuse are sexually abused by their family members. Most cases involve friends, relatives, neighbours, etc.
According to the data presented by Lambrianidou, 167 reports or complaints of child sexual abuse were filed in 2018, 211 in 2019, 197 in 2020, 278 in 2021, 303 in 2022, and 315 in 2023, the highest number ever recorded.
As of 11 April this year, 81 cases of child sexual abuse have been investigated. This number only includes child abuse cases and not child pornography cases.
1,910 cases of domestic violence
The situation is even worse regarding reports of child abuse under the family violence law. A total of 1,910 cases of violence against children within the family were reported from 2018 to 2022, indicating how easily a child can become a victim of domestic violence.
Although statistical data for 2023 is not yet available, it appears to be at similar levels as 2022. Most of these incidents are reported by schools, where children confide in teachers or classmates that they have been abused.
Specifically, 220 cases of family violence against children were reported in 2018, 290 in 2019, 329 in 2020, 497 in 2021, and a record high of 574 in 2022.
Comparatively, Lambrianidou points out that there has been an increase in the number of incidents reported to the police regarding both domestic violence and child sexual abuse. This may be due to many significant reasons.
However, she adds that it is uncertain whether there is a real increase. The dark figure of these crimes is beginning to emerge, she emphasises.
As evidenced by the reports and convictions, the special investigative team for sexual abuse offences against minors has contributed immensely to combating child sexual abuse with professionalism, working seamlessly with the Children’s House on a daily basis.
Additionally, the establishment of the Provincial Domestic Violence Investigation Units within the Provincial CID Units has positively impacted addressing domestic violence.
These units place a strong emphasis on violence cases, ensuring prompt investigation and management to bring them before the justice system as quickly as possible. The unit’s investigators are specially trained to handle these cases effectively and support the victims of violence.
Another significant factor contributing to combating this phenomenon is the effort by the Cyprus Police to reduce the dark figure of cases for such forms of crime. Essentially, this effort serves as a call to the public to find appropriate solutions or treatments.
Public awareness, achieved through events, actions, and informative publications by the police, is also a crucial part of prevention and, consequently, sensitising citizens to report or denounce any incidents of family violence and child sexual abuse.
Lastly, Lambrianidou mentions the crucial role of educators, who, by following the protocol of the Ministry of Education, are now bringing to light cases of violence and abuse against minors of any kind. In many cases, especially sexual abuse and family violence, the first report comes from schools.
The contribution of the units addressing violence is significant
The first two units in Limassol and Nicosia for investigating family violence cases were established in 2020, while the remaining four (Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta, and Morphou) were set up in 2021.
These units operate within the Provincial CID Units and are supervised by the Management of Vulnerable Persons Cases, which also provides coordination and support for their operations. The staff members receive continuous training on topics related to their duties, such as legislation, handling of vulnerable persons, and video-recorded testimonies, with the ultimate goal of enhancing their professionalism, sensitivity, and overall effectiveness in performing their duties.
The duties and responsibilities of the Provincial Domestic Violence Units are outlined in a Police Order, which includes a special protocol of actions to be followed when investigating complaints of this nature.
The House of Representatives recently passed a bill prepared by the Ministry of Justice with the assistance of the Law Commissioner to align the relevant provisions of the Istanbul Convention with the definitions of ‘violence’, ‘harm’, and ‘domestic violence’ in legislation where they are not already harmonised. This ensures uniformity and compliance with the Convention and the recent recommendations of the Council of Europe’s GREVIO Committee of Experts.
