Macedonia: lack of appropriate services for sexually abused children

In Macedonia children victims of sexual abuse are often left on their own with psychological disorders rising form the trauma of abuse. Although Centres for Social Welfare are those responsible to provide assistance in these children, they often don't have the capacities and competences to do so.

Moreover actions undertaken by them sometimes further traumatize children rather then help them. It happens that children are taken away from their families and placed in orphanages. As a result of lack of support from the Centres for Social Welfare, the parents are turning for help to non-governmental organizations.

Recently the action plan for dealing with and preventing sexual abuse of children has been set up by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. It is planned that 30 more Centres will be established all over the country to tackle the problem in a more efficient way.

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