Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimization in Bulgaria

YOUTH SEXUAL AGGRESSION AND VICTIMIZATION IN BULGARIA

STAKEHOLDERS’ PERSPECTIVES AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR POLICY AND PRACTICE

Principal Author: Dr. L. Murauskiene

Vilnius, Lithuania December 1, 2012

Recommendations Bulgaria, 2012

This report is based on information acquired through personal interaction with representatives of various organisations (state bodies and NGOs) and individuals in Bulgaria. Consultations were conducted in July 2012 with: Gender Alternatives and Red Cross, Crisis Centre (in Plovdiv), Amalipe (in Veliko Tarnovo), Centre Dinamika (in Ruse), Ministry of Health, National Centre of Public Health and Analyses (PETRI project), ANIMUS ASSOCIATION, Centre for Rehabilitation, Counselling and Psychotherapy, and Gender Education Research & Technologies (in Sofia).

Recommendations Bulgaria, 2012

1. Violence is an emerging topic on the political agenda in Bulgaria Bulgaria has witnessed an increase in attention to child abuse and domestic violence, which are both issues related to Youth Sexual Aggression and Victimization (YSAV). While the adoption of the Protection Against Domestic Violence Act in 2005 enabled prosecution for marital rape, no such case has actually been tried in the interim. Traditional stereotypes of the roles of women in the family and society have created a culture in which many women are hesitant or even too ashamed to discuss the matter of domestic aggression; furthermore, even the educated population does not actually perceive anything other than physical violence as an act of violence. Moreover, prevailing adverse and sceptical attitudes imply that the victim currently bears the onus of proof in cases of violence. The law itself ‘does not recognise that domestic violence affects women in Bulgaria disproportionately and lessens and nullifies women’s enjoyment of their human rights’ while ‘some of the procedures and norms contribute in practice to the perpetuation of this phenomenon’.1

This might go some way towards explaining the reluctance of both the police and the courts to take cases of domestic violence into consideration. ‘Victims of psychological and sexual violence also encounter difficulty in obtaining protection orders in the absence of physical injuries. Furthermore, the fact that judges are inclined to underestimate the seriousness of these forms of violence and there is widespread confusion as to which acts constitute psychological and sexual violence, only compounds the issue for such victims’. 2

While it is theoretically possible to refer perpetrators to specific programmes developed by certain NGOs, juries rarely even consider the option’. Moreover, staff of public institutions including social workers often fail to comprehend that issues of material deprivation in families may in themselves constitute an act of violence.

In contrast to many other countries, the Church has no significant input in policy in Bulgaria, as it is considered a relatively low status social institution.

Child abuse is the only issue addressed in debate, while documents focused on youth policy fail to tackle any sexuality-related issue whatsoever. As both awareness and recognition of violence in society are low, the collection and dissemination of information on prevalence, consequences and other aspects of violence in society are prerequisites for the recognition and specification of YSAV. One particularly difficult challenge encountered is the lack of terminology and proper wording in the vernacular. For instance, many people consider the word ‘sexual’ synonymous with ‘pornographic’, as language does not comprise neutral terms such as ‘gender’.

2. The case of the Roma and the particular vulnerability of its young girls to victimization and sexual violence There are various ethnic minorities living in Bulgaria. The Roma people officially comprise over 4% of the total population (according to some experts’ estimates they exceed 9%), and are therefore the country’s second largest ethnic minority group, following the Turks who represent 8% of the total population.

There is substantial evidence of the vulnerability of Roma children, an extremely small portion of whom actually graduate from school. This can be largely attributed to a combination of poverty (families with numerous children generally cannot afford to give them an education, as the state provides free textbooks only for pupils in grades 1 to 3) and their poor command of the Bulgarian language. Such low levels of literacy make matters particularly difficult for NGOs working with the Roma population and trying clarify ethical and human rights concepts and issues.

1 Gender Alternatives Foundation. (2012). Substantive equality and non-discrimination in Bulgaria. Shadow report submitted to the CEDAW Committee for the 52 nd session in July 2012 .

2 Implementation of Bulgarian Law on Protection Against Domestic Violence. (2008). Report of the Advocate for Human Rights and the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation .

Recommendations Bulgaria, 2012

Given the context, external funding for NGOs working with the Roma population is relatively high. Among the numerous projects already implemented, are those designed to address the issue of early marriage in Roma communities. The ethnic Roma staff involved in running such projects insist that the matter of domestic violence is simply not discussed in rural areas. If YSAV is to be effectively prevented therefore, then the parents need to be approached and convinced that it is both feasible to work in gender homogeneous groups and that peer-to-peer education has the most favourable effect when working with teenagers.

It should be noted, however, that prioritisation of the problems in ethnic minorities sometimes leads to underestimation of the scale of aggression and violence taking place in Bulgarian society in general.

3. The destructive role of the media The media have a particularly negative effect on young people forming their own values and attitudes. The messages that they impart to girls are that the money is the most important measure of success and love, while aggressive sexuality and skills in selling oneself are primary requirements in life. These sentiments are constantly emphasised in advertising as well as in popular music. In this context, many females - including sex workers – fail to realise that they are victims at all.

4. NGOs’ potential to work on YSAV should be explored There are already numerous municipal institutions/units involved in addressing the prevention of antisocial behaviour, child development, child probation issues, etc., which could also probably touch upon YSAV issues. However, they clearly either lack the capacity and skills required, or are too busy with routine or even bureaucratic processes. Psychological care is most readily available in the private sector, and is therefore unaffordable to many people in need. Well-informed, motivated NGOs consequently intervene in providing support for victims of various types of violence. Together with a considerable group of NGOs which advocate human rights and provide legal aid to victims of gender-based violence and sex abuse, they therefore provide great support to vulnerable groups and society as a whole. More generally, ‘it is NGOs, working on the conceptual basis of ‘civil society’, who can help create ‘society’ out of a mass of group identities and agendas jostling for space and recognition’.3

Numerous NGOs have gained substantial experience through working on trafficking issues (as prioritised in funding). A national mechanism for referral and support of trafficked persons as a cooperative framework of the state actors and civil society is currently being established in the country. 4 Another priority in allocating funding to NGOs is through the Programmes of the Ministry of Health, supported by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculoses and Malaria (the GFATM) addressing the prevention and control of HIV/AIDS and Tuberculoses. The inclusion of YSAV issues in NGOs’ activities could be further promoted by stressing its links to accepted priorities in their existing activities and funding.

NGOs providing services to risk groups could compete for state and municipal funds to implement projects. The allocation of funding for service provision is scheduled to take place (May 2012) as part of the National Program for Domestic Violence Prevention. 5 However, the sustainability of NGOs cannot be assured due to various reasons, such as political changes, different priorities in and approaches to shaping the care in municipalities, the need to meet stringent requirements for the provision of so-called rehabilitation services as a single item for procurement, etc.

On the other hand, however, NGOs generally operate according to their own individual guidelines. A certain measure of unification of the rules and requirements applicable to NGOs’ performance might

3 Dainov, E. (2004). Transition, Violence and the Role of NGOs: the Case of Bulgaria. A paper prepared for ‘Cultures of Violence’ – Mansfield College, Oxford .

4 National mechanism for referral and support of trafficked persons in Bulgaria. (2010). Project ‘Creation of a National Referral Mechanism for victims of trafficking in Bulgaria’ Working group report.

5 2012 National Program on Prevention and Protection Against Domestic Violence. (2012). 1 Supplement.

Recommendations Bulgaria, 2012 therefore be appreciated. There is both a need and scope for the integration of YSAV issues in practice, while also improving the quality of response through the dissemination of lessons, evidence and other information in the field.

NGOs often face disproportionately difficult challenges and large social gaps. Their capacities inevitably prove insufficient when, for instance, victims of domestic violence remain economically dependent on the perpetrators, as there are insufficient opportunities to support the provision of jobs or relocation to other communities.

The potential of NGOs to deal with YSAV should nevertheless be advocated and mobilised, because they are a proper channel for dealing with stigma and discrimination. Given the considerable amount that NGOs have already learned from numerous projects and activities, their experience and tools they have developed would certainly prove beneficial in combating YSAV more effectively.

5. Good practice of peer education Sexual education is not being properly presented in schools. All too often, it is limited to few lessons given by a biology teacher. The issue of sexual education is a sensitive one, and schools quite often prefer to minimise this type of education and avoid possible conflicts with parents or the necessity to clarify matters. The teachers also have limited competence in the field.

In order to open more space for sexual education into the school curriculum , however, new law on education in kindergarten and schools needs to be prepared. Success – in incorporating health education in different subjects and introducing certain standards in sexual education – depends very much on the drafting of the law. However, mandatory teaching hours have yet to be allocated for the topic.

A decade of the Programme “HIV Prevention and Control”, implemented by the Ministry of Health and funded by the GFATM has revealed the great potential and achievements of a peer education approach. The project enabled both the broad education of children and scaling-up of the volunteer movement. Various publications and manuals have been produced, which are suitable for use as optional teaching materials in schools. The schools themselves have proposed some ‘teaching technologies’, for example those dealing with aggression (‘cooperative policy’). The project has been recognised internationally as a good practice and Peer Education Training and Research Institute (PETRI – Sofia) has been institutionalised with the support of UNFPA as a structure, incorporated in the National Centre of Public Health and Analyses. PETRI serves as a knowledge and recourse hub for spreading high quality peer education, monitoring, evaluation and research in the Region of Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

While the involvement of volunteers is not yet sufficiently developed to address YSAV, it has nevertheless been shown to offer great potential in the country and the Region. Volunteers could prove an important channel in discussing and addressing YSAV issues in the country.

Besides the schools, there is a need for the provision of services to university students. However, this should not simply be perceived as a continuation of the education commenced at schools. The particular needs of young people need to be addressed, taking into account the many challenges young people face on leaving their homes for the first time to live at a university campus.

6. Several recommendations for policy and practice (as of December 2012) • Further evidence and analysis of YSAV in the country are required. • Focus on involving young people in constructive practices to prevent aggression. • Particular attention to and support for various groups of young people are required. • Support NGOs’ sustainability and improved performance. • Integrate YSAV issues into publicly accepted topics, while clarifying interrelations between YSAV and various social and health problems. • Push for assumption of a more responsible position by the mass media.