1ST CITY CLINICAL HOSPITAL

Sexual abuse is the involvement of a child, with or without consent, in sexual activity with adults for the purpose of obtaining pleasure or benefit from the latter.

A child’s consent to sexual contact does not give grounds to consider it non-violent, since the child does not have free will and cannot foresee all the negative consequences for himself.

Parents should pay attention to the following behavior patterns in their child that may indicate sexual abuse:

• sudden withdrawal, depression, isolation, withdrawal;
• a strong reaction of fear or disgust due to the physical proximity of a particular adult;
• the child’s refusal to undress to hide bruises and wounds on the body;
• demonstration of “adult” behavior, interest in sexual issues;
• the child spends a lot of time with family acquaintances, classmates, neighbors, and does not rush home after school;
• absenteeism in an educational institution, sudden change in academic performance.

It is possible to avoid violence, but to do this it is necessary to help the child learn the “Rule of Five Don’ts”:

1.  You cannot talk to strangers on the street and let them into your house.
2.  You cannot go into an entrance hall, an elevator, a forest or other uninhabited places with strangers.
3.  You can't get into someone else's car.
4.  You cannot accept gifts (candy, ice cream, toys, etc.) from strangers and agree to their offer to go to their home or somewhere else.
5.  You should not be left alone on the street, especially after dark.

Build a warm, trusting relationship with your child! Often it is those children who get into trouble who lack love, affection and understanding at home.

If trouble occurs, seek professional advice from a specialist (psychological, legal, medical).

In all regions of the republic and in the city of Minsk, an “Emergency Psychological Assistance” service has been created and is functioning via “Helplines”.

Help is provided by highly qualified specialists in the field of psychology and psychotherapy free of charge and anonymously.

Telephone numbers for emergency psychological assistance in the Republic of Belarus:

• Brest region: Brest 80162 255727 (24 hours)
• Vitebsk region: Vitebsk 80212 616060 (24 hours)
• Gomel region: Gomel 80232 315161 (24 hours a day)
• Grodno region: 80152 39-83-31 (24 hours), 80152 39-83-28 (24 hours)
• Mogilev region: Mogilev 80222 71-11-61 (24 hours)
• Minsk: for adults 8017 3524444 (24 hours), 8017 3044370 (24 hours)
• for children 8017 2630303 (24 hours a day), 8-801-100-1611 (24 hours a day) Republican "Children's telephone line"
• Minsk region: 8017 270-24-01 around the clock, 8029 899-04-01 around the clock

Sexological assistance in the health care system of the republic is provided by institutions related to the protection of mental health. Assistance is provided by a psychiatrist-narcologist or psychotherapist who has undergone advanced training in sexology.