Prevention & Treatment
Preventing and dealing with violence against children requires a systematic effort to deal with the risks
Violence against children is preventable
The prevention and treatment of violence against children requires a systematic effort to address the risks and find protective factors against all conditions that make up the risk factors, at an individual, interpersonal, social level.
Led by the World Health Organization, 10 international organizations have been created that have developed a documented "package" of actions, which they call INSPIRE: Seven strategies to end violence against children.
The specific program aims to help countries and societies achieve goal 16.2 of the United Nations Agenda, which calls for an end to violence against children. Each letter of the word INSPIRE stands for one of seven strategies that have a proactive deterrent effect against various forms of violence, while proving particularly beneficial in mental health, education and crime reduction.
INSPIRE: 7 strategies to end violence against children
Implementation: Implementation and strengthening of legal framework related to changing social conditions (e.g. banning youth access to alcohol and weapons)
Norms (Norms): Changing values and norms tolerated by society as a whole (e.g. changing attitudes that tolerate or condone sexual abuse of girls or aggressive behavior among boys)
Safe environments: Identifying the areas where violence is most expressed (hangouts) and addressing the problems of these areas with specific policies and other interventions. (e.g. in Athens, one such area for decades has been Exarchia, while the violence has also spread to the areas below Omonia).
Parental support (Parental support): Help and support, mental and educational for young parents who are having difficulty raising their child.
Income (income): Income and financial support.
Response (Response): Responding to children's needs by providing services (e.g. ensuring that children exposed to violence can have effective immediate help, with psychological support and supervision)
Education (Education): Ensuring education and skill building. (e.g. compulsory attendance of all children in primary and secondary education and inclusion of skills-enhancing courses).
Source: World Health Organization (WHO)