Sayings such as “spare the rod and spoil the child” or “the kick of the dam hurts not the colt” remain the basic principles for the parents to guide themselves in the Romania of 2013. The cases of children abused by their parents nearly doubled since the economic recess, statistics show. Over the first six months of 2012 alone, parents terrorized, neglected and exploited 5600 children, according to the Department for Child Protection.
The education by violence seems to be popular among parents. A third of Romanian parents do not know that beatings and humiliating treatment applied to children are prohibited and punishable by law.
Psychologists say that poverty leading to frustration, alcoholism and lack of education, are mainly to blame for this phenomenon
For several years now, Romania has been facing a new phenomenon. At the end of March last year over 85,000 children had at least one parent working abroad, according to the Department for Child Protection. Of these, 26,000 children were left home alone with no parent.
This phenomenon leads to depression among children and, in some cases, even suicide. Officials say that one of the most affected areas are the Transylvania area where the phenomenon is rapidly increasing.