“A child who experiences emotional violence, decides to try suicide 10 times more often”

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Violence is present in many homes, often behind closed doors. – We wear a burden of shame that something is wrong with us – says Katarzyna Ankudowicz, an actress.

Katarzyna Ankudowicz, the actress, says “we” because she admits that there was no shortage of violence and in her home. But he also points out that it was equally painful that those who stood next to them and saw everything did not react.

– Violence against children is always evil, but this is the loneliness of this child in this violence, the lack of an adult who will be called evil, who recognizes the suffering of this child who defends … this lack, this loneliness. It creates a trauma – indicates Katarzyna Ankudowicz.

A trauma that every third child in Poland can feel – so many of them experience violence from loved ones. The Foundation We give children strength began a campaign, which is to go to witnesses to react.

– An ordinary blacksmith, as we say, if he sees that in the wrong way a parent or a close person or a person with a child turns to a child, above all he can approach and ask if everything is fine, notice this situation, disagree, do not agree, do not accept the forms of violence – says Justyna Podlewska from the Foundation We give children strength.

Forms of violence such as emotional neglect, where a child cannot count on tenderness or support, or physical neglect, where he may lack food or clothes. One -fifth of Polish children takes over the role of an adult in the family. They often don't have anyone next to each other who they could count on.

– While we often see signals of physical violence, we rarely notice mental and emotional violence – notes Wiktoria Kinik from the Foundation We give children strength.

Each violence is evil and each leaves marks for years. When these children become adults themselves – violence is still with them.

“They feel that they didn't do anything well, so they can't trust themselves,” says Dr. Anetta Pereśniak -Sołtan, a psychologist from the Lower Silesian University in Wrocław and the psychological counseling center Era Psyche.

Therefore, trust must start rebuilding as soon as possible. That is why such centers for helping children as in Gdańsk are created. Among other things, it is there that the income from the SMS campaign is to hit.

Children and those relatives they can trust in such a center can count on comprehensive and – importantly – free psychological, legal and institutional assistance. Everything under one roof. Many people need support immediately.

– Many children experience drastic forms of harm, like burning with a cigarette, sexual abuse – indicates Ewa Kremer from the Children and Foundation Aid Center, we give children strength.

They have no chance to deal with it and fight each other. – A child who experiences emotional violence, decides to try suicide 10 times more often – says Wiktoria Kinik.

To prevent this, you can't wait. As specialists point out, no violence simply ends when screams are silent. Silence hurts the most.

– This means that the development of this child is damaged forever. Let us also react, always react, let us react in every situation – indicates Katarzyna Ankudowicz.