Child protection at the centre

On the occasion of the celebration of the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, on Monday, 15 November, Comillas Pontifical University hosted the conference "Strategies for tackling sexual violence against children and adolescents", organised by fapmi-ECPAT Spain in collaboration with the Council of Europe and the Chair for the Rights of the Child at the Faculty of Law (Comillas ICADE).

The Director of the Chair, Myriam Cabrera, opened the conference, recalling that Comillas has a long history and a line of research on violence against children, which contributed to the creation of the current Law for the Comprehensive Protection of Children and Adolescents against Violence. "We have several projects focused on creating safe environments for children, one of the university's priorities".

"We are facing one of the worst abuses that, despite its seriousness, continues to be invisible", recalled Carme Tello, president, fapmi-ECPAT Spain and also present at the opening table. Mireya García de Murcia, lawyer and Project Manager of the Council of Europe, highlighted some milestones to date, including the Lanzarote Convention, an agreement dedicated to the prevention of child and adolescent abuse, to which Spain ratified its commitment. "It is a European regional convention, but with an international vocation," he said.

Throughout the day, crucial issues in the protection of child victims of sexual violence were addressed through presentations with titles such as "The rights of children and adolescents and technology in the EU" by Amy Crocker, from ECPAT International, or strategies for working with male child survivors, presented by Francesco Cecon, Coordinator of the Global Initiative for Boys & Men Programme.

The afternoon delved into good practices and recommendations. Specialised magistrates, such as Tomás Luis Martín Rodríguez from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, and experiences such as the application of the Barnahus Model in Catalonia, shared by María José Osuna Cerezo, provided a comprehensive view of the issue.