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Ministry of Interior affairs - The sex with juveniles is not increasing

There is no tendency of increased crimes in which juveniles are involved, claims the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
 
In the first six months of the year, 41 criminal acts against 43 juveniles and criminal charges that were filed against 48 perpetrators for different parts were registered (sexual assault, taking sexual advantage over powerless person, satisfying sexual needs in front of others, etc).
 
Last year, Ministry of Interior Affairs in the same period registered 50 criminal acts for which according to the spokesmen of the Ministry Ivo Kotevski are decreased by 18 per cent.
 
“There are no tendencies of increase, but the good is that the public becomes sensitive in terms of prevention and recognition of specific symptoms among the victims”, explains Kotevski.
 
The spokesmen Kotevski claimed that the Ministry is taking all necessary actions for prevention and repression of perpetrators.
 
“Ministry of Interior Affairs has conducted several campaigns in the area of prevention, but should act inter-institutional as well not only between state institutions, but also NGOs and the media should be included”, appeals Kotevski.
 
Ministry of Interior Affairs yesterday filed criminal charges against 50-year old person from Kumanovo who committed a crime “taking sexual advantage over powerless person”.
 
According to the investigation he invited the girl in his car, took her to abandoned house and took sexual advantage of her.
 
Last week the public was shocked from another case of a network for sexual services with juveniles when the police detained several businessmen and two girls who were mediating in finding the juvenile girls.
 
Despite the statement of  Interior Ministry spokesmen Kotevski, for MA Dragi Zmijanac Founder and Director of the First Children Embassy in the World Megjasi state institutions don’t do enough for prevention of this phenomenon.
 
“There is no education in this field in the educational system and the preventive role that the Centre for Social work has, in practice is not realized. It is necessary these centres to equip themselves with team for fast and early detection of families at risk and protect a child who is a potential victim of sexual abuse and child prostitution. The Centres are not available after regular working time or during the weekends or holidays and then they are not available to help the victims”, explains Zmijanac.
 
The Director in a statement for “Zhurnal.mk” says that the preventive actions should be aimed at organizing public campaigns for opening the issue of hidden prostitution and human trafficking among youth in the public and increasing the awareness of the existence of these phenomena, initiation of multi-sectored approach to the problem of hidden prostitution and human trafficking among high school population on the principle of shared responsibility with the inclusion of all relevant actors (parents, educational institutions, relevant ministries, local NGOs and international organizations which are working on the problem, etc) such as training and inclusion of the media as an instrument for actualization of the problem.
 
“Development of specific programs aimed to the neutralization of the social and economic factors which lead to dissatisfaction, lack of perspective and need to go abroad - poverty, unemployment, etc.” are part of the preventive activities, said Zmijanac.
 
Zmijanac appeals to protect children victims on time.
 
“Public institutions should take everything in their jurisdiction to protect girls in this difficult situation. It is necessary to provide professional support and careful hearing that would not have negative effect on them.
Girls must be protected at all stages of criminal procedure”, says Director of Megjasi.
 
Also, according to Zmijanac the identity of the girls must not be revealed and the Centre for social work should react if children do not receive appropriate support and if the court does not make certain mistakes.
 
Zmijanac reminds of one case three years ago in Stip where during the trial for - “meditation in doing prostitution” where the girl victim that was called as witness in the procedure committed suicide. /Zurnal MK/ .
 
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