Today we observe the World Spank Out Day (No-hitting, no-smacking, no-spanking day for children) promoted by the American EPOCH (End Physical Punishment of Children) organization, annually. It has been 20 years since the GOCC Foundation initiated the Teddy’s Tale – Don’t hurt me, love me! action aimed at raising the awareness among adults and children on the harmful effects of corporal punishments of the underage.
Children are our future, the foundation of our society. Yet, it does happen that adults take advantage of kids’ vulnerability and their full dependence on others. What usually starts with “an innocent spank” develops into the burst of amplified anger, a boiling fury, exacerbating the scale of the violence. The society cannot stay indifferent to such behaviour!
By hurting the most vulnerable, the abuser not only causes physical pain to the victim, but also presents a specific pattern of behaviour which is most often than not copied by the abused in the future. The child observes that there is a permission to use violence as a bargaining chip, to beat the weak, even if we love them, to abuse power in order to achieve your goals. Aggression against children does tremendous emotional harm to the youngest, and makes the victims face severe trauma while entering adulthood.
In Poland, the ban on children abuse is regulated by the Act on Counteracting Domestic Violence and the Family and Guardianship Code. Any act of violence against the little ones is a crime and requires our firm response. Let’s remember that an abused child is fully dependent on adults, on their help, interest, and care.
The Teddy’s Tale – Don’t hurt me, love me! project was first introduced by the GOCC Foundation in December 2013. It consisted in collecting cuddly toys from friends and family. Each teddy bear was symbolically bandaged and labelled with a special card saying “Don’t hurt me, love me”.
The toys were distributed in the streets, parks, at the bus stops, in different cities in Poland: Warsaw, Zielona Góra, Szczecin, Gorzów Wielkopolski, Wrocław, Kraków, Gdańsk, Rzeszów, Poznań, and Zduńska Wola.
Child abuse is the worst scenario possible to be served to the underage. If you witness any violent behaviour against a child, react! Report it to the police or any violence prevention services. Most of all – set the example. Do not hurt, love.
Lidia Niedźwiedzka-Owsiak, who is the director of the medical division of the GOCC Foundation, was awarded an Honoris Causa at the Poznań University of Medical Sciences. This recognition was given in appreciation of her commitment to upholding the highest standards in healthcare.
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