Maria, 6, (not her real name), hides her face in a pillow at a centre for children who’ve been sexually abused. Maria, from Brazil, was raped when she was only three years old and barely speaks.
Photo: UNICEF/HQ01-0432/Claudio Versiani
Children everywhere must be protected from physical, emotional and sexual abuse. This abuse can cause serious harm to their health and their mental and emotional wellbeing.
Children who are abused or neglected are more likely to drop out of school, and are at risk of homelessness.
Children can be abused at home, or in institutions such as care homes, schools or clubs. Some child abuse, such as child prostitution or pornography, is organised deliberately to make money.
It’s thought that some seven per cent of children in the UK suffer serious physical abuse and six per cent serious emotional maltreatment at home. Estimates also suggest 10 – 20 per cent of children in Europe are sexually abused.
UNICEF works to protect children in the 157 countries where we operate. It promotes new laws which protect children, runs campaigns against child abuse and informs children about their rights.