site.btaShared Space for Child Victims of Violence to Open in Kazanlak

A shared space "Childhood without Violence" at the Youth Centre in Kazanlak will provide support and mutual aid for child victims of violence. It will be opened by The Women of Kazanlak association, Chairperson Stella Kehayova told BTA. 

An appropriate environment with a specialised team of psychologists and social workers will be provided to ensure psychological support in order to heal the negative effects on the child's development. "It will be a space that gives a sense of security, protection and shared emotional closeness, which will help children get out of the cycle of violence in their lives and continue their development happily," Kehayova commented.

The association will try to raise the necessary funds to furnish and equip the shared space through a campaign for International Women's Day (March 8). A charity culinary exhibition will also take place in March. Donation boxes have already been placed in several commercial establishments on the territory of Kazanlak. Kehayova called on all those wishing to support the cause to contact the association.

She cited UNICEF data showing that one in two children has experienced some form of violence by the age of 18, with emotional violence being among the most common types, followed by physical and sexual abuse. Violence among children at school is also quite common, she explained. 

According to Kehayova, children and young people who are victims of violence often feel in danger and have a much lower level of well-being compared to others. These facts are not only shocking but also unacceptable, she stressed. Child abuse continues to be a serious problem with serious consequences. That is why it is of utmost importance to start prevention from an early age, Kehayova explained.