Dubai: Latest statistics from the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWAC) reveal that the number of people receiving help for domestic violence in Dubai rose by 36 per cent in 2012.
In the last seven years, the foundation has provided shelter to more than 800 women and children.
and “in-house cases given care by the foundation reached 86, while external cases [in the community] amounted to 244 in 2013,” Afra Al Basti, Director General of the foundation, said.
A child protection campaign has been launched by the foundation with the aim of educating children and their parents and empowering the public to take action against child abuse.
The campaign is being rolled out during National Child Abuse Prevention Month under the theme “Protect Childhood, It’s Precious”.
It is estimated that globally between 500 million and 1.5 billion children are experiencing violence annually, with 86 per cent of children (two out of three) being subject to some form of physical or emotional violence.
Dubai Foundation for Women and Children is the first licensed non-profit shelter in the UAE for women and children victims of domestic violence, child abuse and human trafficking. It was created to offer victims immediate protection and support services in accordance with international human rights obligations.
Afra Al Basti, Director General of the foundation, said: “‘The Protect Childhood, It’s Precious’ campaign aims to support the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children’s efforts to educate the community about child abuse with the generous support of other institutions.”
This year’s highlight will be the Children’s Carnival, a special event hosted at Mirdif City Centre from April 25-26 from 10am to 10pm.
The carnival will feature a variety of fun, interactive and educational awareness activities for young children and parents while spreading important messages about children’s rights and child abuse prevention.
The foundation has been fighting child abuse since it opened in July 2007 and recently conducted a study that surveyed 2,939 government schoolchildren across the country ages 10 to 18.
It revealed that most of the abusers were known to the victims or the children and that males are more often likely to get physically or sexually abused than females, Afra said.
Fareda Abdullah, Vice-President of Human Capital and Corporate Communications for Majid Al Futtaim — Projects, said, “Majid Al Futtaim hopes to provide an accessible and visible platform to help the foundation spread awareness of child abuse. In addition, we encourage the community to participate in the [campaign].”
