The inadequacy of Child Monitoring Centers came to light with official data. In 2011, when the first ÇİM was founded, despite the government’s goal of “Grass will be established in every city”, in the 12 years that have passed, ÇİM could not be established in 22 cities.
The data on Child Monitoring Centers (ÇİM) once again revealed the inadequacy of the centers, which are of critical importance in terms of revealing child abuse. Despite the promise of “Grass will be established in every city” given in 2011 when the first ÇİM was established in the country, only 59 cities could be established in the past 12 years.
Child Monitoring Centers (ÇİM), which was established to prevent sexual abuse of children, came to Turkey’s agenda once again with the increase in child abuse news. The goal of “it will happen in every city” regarding the ÇİMs, which was established for the first time in 2011 with the aim of carrying out statement taking, forensic examination and all kinds of other investigation procedures in a single center for child victims of sexual abuse, could not be achieved.
“THE CITIES DON’T HAVE A SINGLE GRASS”
CHP PM Member, Tekirdağ Deputy Dr. Candan Yüceer reacted to the fact that child monitoring centers have not been spread across the country for 12 years.
Dr. Yüceer said, “The first ÇİM in Turkey was established in 2011 in Ankara. In the Prime Ministry Circular published on October 4, 2012, it was stated that ÇİMs would spread to 81 cities. Despite the target set by the circular, the data of the General Directorate of Public Hospitals reveals the negligence in this area. According to the data, in the 12 years covering the 2011-2023 period, only 59 cities could be established. While ÇİM has not been established in a total of 22 cities, the number of existing centers is limited to 62. 11 years ago, they said, ‘We are establishing with 81’. There is still no GRASS in 22 provinces in Turkey. In many cases, children cannot draw pictures because suitable conditions cannot be created.” Yüceer, who brought the issue to the agenda of the Parliament, asked Health Minister Fahrettin Koca how many cases were covered up in this way due to the negligence of the ministry.
“BIG TRAUMA EXPERIENCES”
Drawing attention to the importance of Child Monitoring Centers in revealing cases of sexual abuse against children, Dr. Yüceer said, “It is very difficult to reveal child abuse cases. For this reason, children should be intervened consciously and effectively, forensic and medical interventions should be carried out in one center and at once by trained and expert people in this field. However, the Ministry of Health has not been able to adequately establish these centers. The number of these centers is also insufficient in existing large provinces. Even in cities with a million population, there is only one Child Monitoring Center established by the Ministry of Health. Among the provinces, only Istanbul has more than one GRASS. We hear complaints that children who have been sexually abused experience major traumas in provinces where there is no CIM. Before, when there was no center called ÇİM, children who were sexually abused were brought to the pediatric outpatient clinics of hospitals by law enforcement. The child, who was found to be sexually abused, was being examined. It is a very difficult process for this child. Later, the child was taken to the prosecutor’s office, he was told the situation over and over again at the police station and hospital, and the abuse of the abused child was repeated. However, in ÇİM, the child expresses the event that happened to him only once. He comes into contact with the prosecutor responsible for ÇİM and the forensic medicine specialist, and the whole forensic unit is gathered in one center. ÇİMs are very vital in terms of both detecting sexual abuse and preventing the child from being repeatedly traumatized by abuse.”
