The number of child abuse cases doubled in 2013. Educating by beating is the trend among parents

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.