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Over 620 reports on serious cases of child abuse have been received over the first 10 months of the year in the organization "The Smile of the Child", at which blond girl Maria, who was found in a Gypsy camp near Farsala, has been placed.

98% of all reports received were anonymous and related to 1,254 children, 597 (47%) of them being boys, 503 (40%) girls and 157 (13%) of unknown sex or age. It should be noted that 42% of these children were as young as six. 43% of the reports were on physical abuse, the perpetrators in 91% of the cases being the parents, either both, or one, of them.

The data were presented by the organization "The Smile of the Child" during an event organized at a hotel in the centre of Thessaloniki on occasion of the World Day for Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children, 19 November.

"Violence against children is a phenomenon that concerns us every day, not just today. Every day we encounter violence exerted against children and we try to provide them with a better future. The data we are presenting now are not just numbers. There is one child behind each number and a tragic story hides behind each child. The response from all of us is the only way to secure a better and safer future for the children," said chairman of the organization Kostas Giannopoulos.

According to "The Smile of the Child", in the period 1 January 2014-31 October 2014, the organization responded to 92 cases which required its social workers and psychologists to intervene on the spot.

These cases were associated with 151 children, 91% of whom had to be immediately removed from their family environment, 8% needed support and advice and 1% other specialized care. 17 children (or 11%) of all those who had to be immediately removed from the family environment are growing up in protected homes of the organization.

It is noteworthy that, on the international level, at least 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 10 boys become victims of sexual violence before the age of 18 but only 1 out of every 3 cases is reported (ICMEC). In addition, 20.9 million children are victims of forced labour, 4.5 million (22%) of them being victims of forced sexual exploitation, according to the International Labour Organization.

Moreover, 2 million children worldwide are faced with sexual violence each year (ICMEC).

The event of "The Smile of the Child" was combined with the setting up of the first mobile information, training and technology laboratory "Odyssey" in Aristotle square for four days (to 22 November), which has already scheduled numerous initiatives with the participation of schoolchildren and the general public of Thessaloniki.