Council of Europe

05.12.2011 - With the recent launch of its 4-year campaign to stop sexual violence against children, the Czech Republic has begun its efforts to raise national awareness using Council of Europe materials adapted into Czech (See: www.tadysenedotykej.org).

Spear-headed by the Government Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms Monika Simunkova, and using the slogan “Don’t touch me there” (“Underwear Rule”), plans are, first of all, to distribute materials such as The Kiko and the Hand children's book to Child Crisis Centers, maternity centers and other facilities that work with children aged between 4 and 7. The book will then be distributed to kindergartens and primary schools. It will be sent to municipal libraries and it will be generally available on demand.

With 786 cases of sexual abuse cases reported in 2010 (633 cases involving girls and 153 boys), it is believed that the majority of cases still remain unreported. Internal statistical data of the Child Crisis Centre in the Czech Republic reports that 1,009 sexually abused children were registered in this facility alone between 1992-2011. It is hoped that the campaign will make its mark on increasing awareness on sexual violence against children in the Czech Republic.

The Czech Republic is among the few Council of Europe member states that has not yet signed the Lanzarote Convention. In the launch of the campaign, attended by the Contact Parliamentarian, a member of the Senate Ms Daniela Filipiová, the Commissioner for Human Rights and many prominent lawyers, psychologists, pediatricians and social workers, it was stressed that in parallel to raising awareness, it is necessary that the responsible authorities will work hard for the signature and ratification of the Lanzarote Convention.