The meeting of the Pedagogic Society of Serbia

Against child abuse

Can family violence be recognised and prevented before the tragic outcome? - is only one of a number of questions asked when child abuse was discussed.

" Bad luck does not only happen to somebody else. It's all around us. Nobody's immune to it." These are Olivera Jelkic's words written in the introduction of her book "A Thousand Cranes". Beside being an author, Olivera Jelkic is also an advisor in the Ministry of Law of the Republic of Serbia. The book was an immediate result and the framework of the discussion organised by the Pedagogic Society of Serbia...

- Family violence is our reality. This problem is becoming more and more recognised both in the media and the community, as are child trafficking and the trade of organs, neglection, physical, emotional and sexual abuse within and outside the family circle. Due to the fact that this topic has been brought to the attention of the public there have been some reforms in criminal law.

The story about Neven

This is what "A Thousand Cranes" is about. Children, among others, have found the book remarkable. Mirko S. Markovic, a literary historian, explains their wide acceptance of the book as a recognition of the problem in their own environment. A winner of the "Dositej's pen" award, which was voted by the children themselves, this book tells the story of Neven, from whom the author, Olivera Jelkic attempts to present one kind of misfortune, immobility, adding the intervention of drugs - rejection of loved ones and friends, and how it results in a tragic death of a hero." That would be the outline of a story in the book whose author states is based on a true story. As a matter of fact, seven years ago, while she was working as a lawyer, a woman walked into her office telling her that her handicapped and retarded son who was institutionalised, had gone missing. To this day he was not found. Eventhough she obtained all the documentation needed for this case, for a number of reasons Olivera Jelkic's hands were tied. Her computer file was named "The Organ Factory".

- Whilst searching for the boy I came to the realisation that it also happens to others. I had the urge to put it all down on paper, while the title of the book was suppossed to eviate the horror which I came across. People reacted by asking whether it was really possible. My aim was to actually
make the public aware of what was happening around them - explained Olivera Jelkic.

The feeling of rejection

Mirko S. Markovic states that stories about violence have existed since literature's beginings. Violence is noted in stories such as "Cinderella", "Snow White", through oral poetry, to contemporary literature - Charles Dickens's "Oliver Twist", "David Copperfield", Branko Copic's "Orlovi rano lete" (Eagles fly away early), including the above mentioned "A Thousand Cranes". Beside violence being the topic of all of these books, he makes a point to ask who acted against it and whether the victims receive any sort of support.

- It can be very hazardous if the right thing is not done. One thing very obvious in "A Thousand Cranes" is the feeling of rejection by the victim who suffered both physical and emotional pain just nothing was done. No form of punishment can be strong enough to punish the actual act of violence. Neither can any words of comfort compensate for the deep feeling of pain suffered by the victim. - said Mirko S. Markovic. - If we neglect to mention this, regardless of whether we are lawyers, social workers, teachers, writers, then this gathering would prove a failure.

Child psychiatrist Dr Oliver Vidojevic reminded those present that they have founded a Centre that shelters children who have suffered abuse and neglection. 60% of children suffer neglection which is the actual primary concern.

- Neglection is one type of passive violence when nothing is done to assist and support the child suffering. Pedagogues have a large effect and on children and much of the work is up to them, because it occurs in schools, kindergardens, families, wherever the child's needs are not fulfiled. This is the first step that can lead to abuse...We need to be devoted to those who have gone through various forms of neglection and abuse - said Dr Vidojevic and added the most drastic example of a child being molestered whose body parts were "chopped up".
According to Oliver Vidojevic, one of the main cause of child abuse is that social behaviour, and our general behaviour, is more inclined towards violence. On the other hand, there is much less moral support, or so callled values, that create responsibility...

Iron and the cord

Dragana Bogdanovic from the Centre for social work in Vozdovac for the past few years was a part of the experimental team for child protection against abuse and family violence. In her experience there have been many drastic cases of child abuse. At the meeting with the Pedagogical Society she focused our attention on two such cases.
The first concerns a 10 year old boy whose mother physically molestered him. This child was born out of wedlock and since his birth has been living in support shelters. Later on the mother started taking him away for the weekend. When he started going to school he moved in with his mother. However, the mother married and gave birth to another child, so the boy, obviously was not wanted. She started abusing him, throwing an iron at him, hitting him with a cord...After these events he checked in at the shelter again and from then all contact with the mother was lost. For a period she was unable to be tracked down. Tho boy felt totally neglected and unwanted. After everyting he had gone thorugh living with his mother he still wanted to reconcile with his mother. They had reunited and the pedagogue is working on the mother to accept the boy...
Vesna Ackovic, ministry assistant at the Board of Education and Sport, works in the Department of Education Development and she deals with Roms. At this meeting she dealt with questions concerning the enforcement of the Convention on Child's rights on Rom children.

Rights of the Roms

- Many of us remember the time when Roms in Sabac were prohibited from entering the swimming pool or, the more alarming case when the under age Dusan Matakovic from Ruista was not allowed to be burried in the local cemetary, because the locals did not allow any Roms to be burried in the same cemetary where the rest of the locals were burried...- said Vesna Ackovic, directing attention to the fact that Rom children in this country have never had their own child magazine, or a television or radio program supported and financed by the government. Only bits of information about them and their people Roms could find out from a magazine which comes out occassionally with the help of donators. They do not even have a single book aside from a few picture-books published without government assistance...

Vesna Ackovic highlighted the fact that around 70% of the Roms at the age of schooling go to so-called special schools.

The aim of the meeting at the Pedagogic Society of Serbia was to widely discuss child abuse and to work together for a solution. The members of the meeting made an appeal to everybody that can do something to help the victims of child abuse through their professions to make that effort, at least until these issues are not regulated by law. If the whole network of experts - pedagogues, psychologists, teachers, social workers, doctors, writers - get together to try to solve the problem - only that way will they succeed. The police force should also take part in the training program, so that they will take the approriate measures when a case comes up.
It was also emphasised that more attention should be payed to prevention programs and that once a case of abuse is reported a resolution of the specific case should be the result of team work.

Svetlana Iliji