United We have registered in the Congress of Deputies a proposal of the Organic Law "Promotion of Good Treatment and Eradication of Violence against Children and Adolescents", with which it intends prohibit all kinds of violence against children, however slight.
The proposal of the Law also aims to generate a cultural change, and that certain forms of violence against children, such as scourge or slap, are not seen as educational methods or lawful ways of correcting behavior. Likewise, the norm establishes the obligation to report any type of violence exercised towards minors.
Protect minors from violence
The Government has, from the stage of Mariano Rajoy, a document prepared by Save the Children and the Santander Department of Law and Minors, which proposes a law of comprehensive protection against violence in childhood.
The Pedro Sánchez Executive is working on it, although for the moment he has not given deadlines, so United We have decided to present a new proposal that he has made available to the Government, in order to expedite the entry into force of this law.
"Now it is unthinkable that someone can say that he has slapped his girlfriend, his girl or his wife, and instead that same statement transferred to a boy or a girl does not cause any kind of impact or does not challenge the person who he listens to it, "said the coordinator of the team that prepared the text, Violeta Assiego, an expert in analysis, research and communication of issues related to the human rights of vulnerable groups.
In Babies and more Children, what we should protect the most: main keys to the future law against violence in childhood "Our objective is that this proposal of Law be taken into consideration by the Government so that before the end of this term, we have a comprehensive law that gives us a general framework of action and allow us to ensure a cultural change in our country, make violence against children no longer tolerable "- Ione Belarra, deputy spokeswoman for Unidos Podemos said at a press conference.
These are some of the measures included in the We Can Proposal:
The obligation of any public official or of any person in contact with children of report cases of violence against them.
That the crimes of sexual assault of minors begin to count after they turn 30, and are willing to raise the figure to 50 years or make these types of crimes do not prescribe.
It includes new forms of violence, such as that generated on the Internet or institutional violence, for example, that generated from overcrowding in juvenile centers.
Include as victims the children whose mothers suffer gender violence.
The establishment of a social accompaniment figure to make the judicial process more friendly for the minor victim of violence.
The creation of an online registry of cases of violence against minors, as well as a 24-hour telephone line to assist children suffering violence.
It proposes that Justice adapt to children and adolescents, establishing the pre-constituted test as the only requirement, that is, that a minor only declares once in a trial and this is sufficient for the entire procedure.
The creation of the figure of a commissioner for the human rights of children and adolescents, with specific regulation and chosen by citizens.
Provide schools with action protocols and specific training for teachers to detect and address cases of violence among students.
According to data published by Save The Children, only 15% of cases of sexual violence against children are reported; one in two sexual abuses in Spain are against minors; one in ten students claims to be a victim of bullying; and dozens of children lose their lives every year due to causes directly related to violence.
Taking action is urgent and necessary, so hopefully the Law against violence in childhood will soon become a reality.
A change of social mentality
But in addition, the approval of this Law would entail a change of mind in society, something that is urgently needed because even today there are people who defend authoritarianism and physical punishment as a way to educate children.
Among the reasons given to support this method is the classic phrase "it has been done a lifetime and we have not gone so wrong." But hitting someone is never lawful, and if society has assumed that adult violence must be denounced and punished, Why do you keep turning a blind eye when it is exercised against minors?
In Babies and more, seven powerful reasons why you should never hit a childTeaching children about limits, educating them on what is right and what is not right, or showing them the consequences of their actions, should not be done by resorting to punishments, cheeks or threats. Doing so implies that, as an adult, you have lost control of the situation and you feel unable to solve it in a truly educational and positive way.
On the other hand, science has concluded that whipping or cheeks are not only not an educational method but have multiple negative effects on children, increasing the chances of becoming challenging, antisocial and aggressive people, as well as causing them problems. of mental health and cognitive difficulties.
Hopefully society begins to become aware of what physical punishment towards children really implies, and stop justifying this type of behavior.But besides, hitting is a crime
Sweden was the first country in specifically prohibit physical punishment and child abuse. Since then, around 50 countries have followed in their footsteps, including Spain.
In our country, hitting a child is a crime, and this is included in the Criminal Code in its article 153, where it explicitly sanctions all types of domestic violence against children with "imprisonment of six months to one year or work for the benefit of the community".
In Babies and more, a father is sentenced to seven months in prison for hitting his 15-year-old daughterHowever, the Law is not entirely clear and also provides that parents, in justified cases, can exercise their right of correction. In this sense, just over a year ago we met the case of a mother who had been acquitted by a judge for slapping her 11-year-old daughter, for considering that she was "justified."
Photos | iStock
