About us

We are a non political and non denominational, independent non-profit organization.
Our members are from different professions, as well as parents, and adults who suffered emotional and psychological harm in their childhood.

Our philosophy

We believe every form of child abuse has to be addressed and future abuse prevented.
It’s a common misconception that children are the property of their parents.
The only thing parents own is the responsibility to raise their children in a physically and psychologically healthy environment, and to help them to become self-confident, capable, sociable and happy persons.
In cases where there is a suspicion of sexual and physical abuse, most people would agree that society should intervene and the law should rescue the children.
But society rarely protects children in cases of emotional and psychological abuse, even though these forms of abuse can be as damaging as sexual and physical abuse. Also sexual and physical abuse always involve emotional and psychological damage. And research has shown that children recover better from physical injuries than from the terror of degradation, humiliation and breach of trust.
Emotional and psychological abuse is the most prevalent form of child maltreatment, and some professionals believe it produces the most destructive consequences.
Therefore our organization has set the goal of establishing new standards in the child welfare system to ensure the rescue and wellbeing of children who suffer from emotional and psychological abuse.

The situation in Slovakia

In Slovakia we have a drastic lack of knowledge and administration to help children in such situations. This is most evidently shown in the justice system.
A common example is when parents separate in a vindictive way and involve their children to get vengeance on a partner – sometimes even over a period of several years. In such cases, courts are failing to launch an appropriate investigation and apply measures accordingly.
This may be the result of overloaded courts, an outdated system and prejudices but also in society the notion dominates that children are ok as long their physical needs are met.

For this we aim to make a difference on three different levels:

Public relations level
To raise awareness in society and sensitize people’s abilities to read children’s symptoms of abuse, as well as showing ways of how to intervene and, if necessary, reach out for professional help.
Professional level
To offer education to all professionals active in children’s welfare, with the goal of improving the assessment and professional approach in cases of such abuse. Such professionals would include psychologists, social workers, teachers, mediators, lawyers and judges.
Legislative level
To make political pressure to set up new policies and measures to help children who are exposed to emotional and psychological abuse. Of particular concern are cases where children are victims of parents’ maltreatment within custody fights.

What is Emotional and Psychological abuse and how does it effect children?

Most parents have occasionally inflicted emotional or psychological damaging behavior on children, sometimes without even realizing it. This can occur in various forms like emotional blackmailing, being overly critical, neglecting children’s emotional needs, seeking children’s alliance in personal distress, and many other forms. If children are raised in a generally loving, supportive and encouraging environment, they can usually recover from such maltreatment without being severely harmed in their development.

It’s different though, when abusive behavior manifests in recurring patterns. Depending on intensity and frequency this can seriously damage a child’s cognitive and emotional abilities, self-esteem and social competence. Because the symptoms of these injuries are subtle they are often overlooked. They can occur in social behavior, emotional expression, cognitive afflictions, regressive behavior, lack of self care, and others. Severe emotional and psychological abuse can also occur in seemingly stable families, usually conducted by parents who are psychologically strained themselves.
Abuse can take part by continuous gas-lighting, emotional blackmailing or threatening, isolating a child, emotional neglect, establishing a co-dependency, exposing a child to domestic violence, and many other forms.