site.btaSecond Year of Be Brave, Be Good! National Campaign Against Child Abuse Launched

The second year of the Be Brave, Be Good! national campaign against violence against children organized by the State Agency for Child Protection (SACP) was launched in Sofia on Thursday. A mobile app that children can use to report violence that they have witnessed or suffered was presented at the event.

The app called Cyberkidz Patrol is expected to be available from October. It was created as part of the campaign.

Labour and Social Policy Minister Borislav Gutsanov told a news conference the SACP had received 6,440 alerts about various forms of child abuse in 2024. Reporting incidents of violence witnessed or experienced by children will be made easier by the mobile app.

Gutsanov said the fact that there are so many reports is a prerequisite for changing the way children think and live, which is why the SACP must receive full support from every institution, he said. In his words, it is important for children to know who to turn to, and for parents to know that the State supports them. "We have launched a campaign against vaping and designer drugs - things that, if we do not deal with, mean that we really do not understand the dangers facing the younger generations," he added.

SACP Chair Teodora Ivanova said the latest campaign has been launched due to daily media reports of violence among children. "The goal is for us, the adults, through state institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the media, to reach children through new and innovative ways," she also said. Most often, reports of violence are for psychological abuse, as well as physical and sexual abuse, Ivanova told reporters.

Ombudsman Velislava Delcheva said that working with families is particularly important in order to reduce violence against children and overcome the still existing perceptions of corporal punishment as a good model of upbringing. She said that children often become victims of violence in the family environment, and in most cases, the perpetrators of violence are the parents or people close to the child. Data shows that 39% of parents in Bulgaria still use corporal punishment in some form, mostly slaps or smacks, and one in six children aged 2-14 has been regularly subjected to corporal punishment by their caregivers.

Deputy Health Minister Dobromira Kareva said the 2023 strategy for child and adolescent health and paediatric care is designed to support ongoing training and professional growth for medical staff, aiming to boost children’s well-being.

Planned efforts will focus on improving the skills of medical professionals to identify and respond to violence and unhealthy child-rearing practices, including parental shortcomings, Kareva explained. She noted that preventive measures are a priority in the healthcare system and highlighted the importance of supporting the mental health of both children and parents. Kareva believes the campaign by SACP serves as a reminder of the need to show kindness, reject aggression, and have the courage to report and stand up to violence.

Ensuring the overall safety of goods and services intended for children on the Bulgarian market is a key priority of the Commission for Consumer Protection (CCP), its acting Chair Alexander Kolyachev said. The Commission monitors children's products on the market, from strollers to playground facilities, and stressed the importance of enforcing the ban on the sale of tobacco and related products to persons under 18.

According to Kolyachev, the CCP and SACP work in close partnership in inspecting relevant establishments to prevent violations that may endanger children as consumers. "Together we can build an environment where children are protected," he said, adding that the goal is also to give parents peace of mind about their children's health.