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MagazineToll free help line for children kept busy all year round
Some time ago the UN Committee for Children's Rights published its annual
report on the Czech Republic. The report was generally positive although
the committee's inspection team found some areas that require attention:
improving the state of the environment which has an adverse affect on
children's health, especially in terms of rising asthma and allergies,
bringing back the institution of school doctors and dentists - or at least
ensuring compulsory medical check ups for children, and taking measures to
curb the high incidence of accidents involving children - which is liked
to the high mortality on Czech roads in general. Judging by the UN report
it would appear that as far as physical and psychological child abuse is
concerned the Czech Republic is in a similar position to other European
states. But what position is that ? In order to find out something more
specific about the situation I called Mrs. Jarmila Knight who works for a
toll free child help line and speaks with abused children every day.
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Current AffairsVictims of domestic violence cry for help in a new book
A husband beat his wife severely and wrecked their apartment. He has been
beating her for 6 years. She is desperate for help. This is just one of
about 900 cases dealt with every year by the telephone helpline of the
association ROSA, set up to assist victims of domestic violence. Now ROSA
has brought out a book telling the stories of five Czech women who have
survived hell. The question arises: is domestic violence being addressed
properly in the Czech Republic? The following report was prepared by Katya
Zapletnyuk.
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MagazineDomestic violence in the Czech Republic
Domestic violence does not get much attention in the media yet, as in most
countries around the world, it does go on. 16% of Czechs, mostly women,
are victims and it takes, on average, six years of abuse before they
decide to seek professional help. The attitude of the public is to turn a
blind eye and deaf ear, since domestic violence is still seen as something
that should be resolved within the family. Now the authorities have
decided to take radical action to change this, setting up an alliance
against domestic violence and acting to raise public awareness of the
problem. Find out more in Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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