1. Analysis of Indicators and Characteristics of Sexually Abused Children in the Child Protection Centre of Zagreb Bruna Profaca,Ph.D. REGIONAL CONFERENCE Stopping Sexual Violence against Children - ratifying and implementing the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse Zagreb, 2011

2. For the period from 2003 to 2010 Analysis of data (250 variables) about children included in the assessment Aim is observing and evaluating what was done, and analysing the aeitology, mediator variables and abuse incidence Following ethical principles of research with children and about children: protection of privacy, harmlessness, authenticity, confidentiality, community welfare

3. Besides the children referred for suspicion of sexual abuse (about 7% per year), exposure to sexual abuse was confirmed also in children included in the assessment for other reasons: behaviour disorders, domestic violence, neglect, physical abuse and so on.

4. The assessment in the Centre:% Confirmed the suspicion46,1 Found no signs of sexual abuse37,6 Found that suspicion was insufficiently substantiated, but could not be excluded (unconfirmed suspicion) 16,3

5. Of all children treated in the Centre, annually 7.5 to 12% are sexually abused.

6. Year% 2003 7.5 2004 9.6 2005 7.9 2006 6.7 200712.0 2008 9.5 2009 8.9 201010.5

7. Age% 0 -613.1 7-1019.8 11-1429.5 15 -1837.6

8. Among the children with confirmed suspicion of sexual abuse 80% were girls and 20% were boys. 41% of children were from Zagreb, and 59% were from other parts of Croatia.

10. Most children live with both parents (47%), while 29.3% live with their mother and 4.5% live with their father 10.5% of them live in Children’s home Other children live with other family members or with foster parents

11. Previous traumatic event which was not family violence – 21% Previous experience of abuse – 20.4% Losses:  maternal death - 3.7%  paternal death – 6 %  death of a sibling – 1.8%  death of other close person – 12.6%

12. Related to strategies of coping with the trauma of sexual abuse Family circumstances are connected with the support the child receives in coping with the sexual abuse and the stress accompanying the abuse

13. Social welfare centres36.1% Parents22.6% Police13.2% Physician10.8% School 3.8% Children’s home/institution 4.9% Kindergarten 0.9% Other 7.4

14. The abuser is a person known to the child in 91.6% of cases person unknown to the child 8,4% father 17, 7 % m other 0,9 % person the child knows 27, 8 % member of the extended family 13,9% close family member 6,4% peer 11,0% neighbour 13,9%

15. The majority of children were included in the psychological (48%) and psychiatric (35%) treatment. The minority of them (4%) were also included in the social educator’s or rehabilitator’s treatment.

17. Under average functioning19.3% Average functioning57.9% Above average functioning22.8% Intellectual backwardness was found in 10.9% of children

18. Excellent28.7% Great39.8% Satisfactory24.7% Sufficient2.5% Fail3.9% 12% of children attended school programmes in regular schools adjusted for children with special needs while 2.7% of children attended schools for children with special needs.

19. Moderate sociability – 70% Introversion – 22% Extraversion – 8% Emotional instability – 31% Dificulties in socialising – 15% Anxiety symptomatology – 56% Depression symptomatology – 47%

20. Sexual preoccupation and distress – 40,5% Posttraumatic stress (recurrent images and thoughts, resistance to reminders of the trauma, general arousal) – 36.6% Anxious reactions – 34.5% Depressive reactions – 15.5% Dissociation – 11.9% Reactions of anger – 3.6% *TSCC –Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (Briere)