WORKING NATIONWIDE WITH THE DIF WE COMBAT VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN

The pandemic raised awareness about violence; in the case of child abuse, most of the aggressors are part of the victims’ family: Salvador Guerrero Chipres.

Before the risks and reports of violence against children and teenagers, women and vulnerable people, the National System for the Integral Development of Families (SNDIF) and the Citizen Council for Safety and Justice in Mexico City agreed to an institutional collaboration.

The work made by both organisms includes channeling and following up on cases of attention and protection of the rights of boys, girls and teenagers as well as off people in situations of vulnerability.

According to reports made by the Citizen Council, during 2020 and up to February of this year, the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat received 869 reports for child abuse, and other 323 calls in which the victims of sexual crimes were underage.

From April 2020 to February 2021 there were 179 reports of underage victims of mistreatment, out of which 60 were channeled to the SNIF, most of them due to physical aggressions.

When talking about the actions that derived from the Collaboration Agreement between both organisms, the head of the SNDIF, Maria del Rocio Garcia Perez, pointed out that awareness about violence against these vulnerable groups has increased during the pandemic due to COVID-19.

“Now more than ever we must prevent more damage to the most vulnerable people who, unfortunately, are sometimes victims of violence in the hands of those who are supposed to offer the protection, love and care,” she said.

The President of the Citizen Council, Salvador Guerrero Chipres, said that the DIF National System is a capable institution that works nationwide to solve the different issues that cause this part of the population to be in a vulnerable situation.

“The pandemic helped talk publicly about what happens in private, in empowered victims and it invited people to report and denounce violence that takes place within the home,” he mentioned.

According to reports made by the Citizen Council, he said, in cases of child abuse, most of the aggressors are direct or indirect family members of the victims, while in the case of elder people, more than half of the aggressors are their children.

The head of the SNDIF insisted that DIF State Systems and Protection Procurement Offices of NNA must strengthen the joint work they make to solve serious problems such as violence, mainly against those who have some type of disadvantage given their condition.

She pointed out that the Council is an open-doors organism that makes alliances that give it the opportunity to be more useful nationwide, regionally and locally.

The Citizen Council offers free psychological and legal support 24/7 through the Safety Line and Trustworthy Chat 55 5533 5533.