The Vicki Bernadet Foundation is an entity that has worked since 1997 in the attendance, prevention and awareness of interfamiliar child sexual abuse and in gaining the trust of abused children. In these years we have met with incredulity, rejection and failure of support, not only at a social level but also from various institutions downplaying the extent of the abuse and discriminating in favour of other problems. www.fbernadet.org

We want to state that child sexual abuse is a social problem:

> Because it affects the most fragile people, children, and society must care for the integrity of all children, and so protect them from suffering any type of abuse.

> Because child sexual abuse is a serious form of infantile mistreatment, that exists in all cultures and societies and at every social level.

> Because the statistics of occurrence of child sexual abuse are alarming. Current studies in Spain and other EU countries, USA and Canada, estimate that 23-25% of girls and  10-15% of boys suffer sexual abuse before they reach 17 years. This abuse is generally committed by a family member or someone close to the child, who has their trust.  (Dr. Félix López, 1994. Ministerio de Asuntos Sociales.).

> Because it is an active form of abuse that not only affects the victim in the moment of the abuse but causes repercussions that can continue to deeply affect the person in their adult life.

We also state that it is not considered a social problem:

> Because society still believes that this happens rarely, and that when it does, it happens in a different environment, far away from them. Also, the taboo of sex related with children means that fear of a social scandal prevents people from recognising it.

> Because sufficient valiant, targeted policies are not being applied and sufficient resources are not being allocated, particularly regarding prevention, in areas as fundamental as Education and Health.  

> Because there is also an evident lack of interest in child sexual abuse concerning current studies. Social recognition and knowlege in this matter are almost inexistent in Spain (Arruabarrena y De Paúl, 1999).

> Because the social, health and overall judicial circles do not always maintain the best interests of the child, where aspects like the solutions and the attention that the sytem offers the victim still continue to negatively affect minors.

> Because when the private sector accepts the social corporate responsibility, specifically in relation to child sexual abuse, it often shows scarce social commitment, a marked taboo and the perception that the theme could damage their image.

> Because some of the media don’t show enough integrity when discussing the subject, provoking the stigmatization of the victims and further social denial.

We, the undersigned, ask for real commitment that child sexual abuse be considered a social problem, be treated as such, and that effort be made to find effective solutions.

We think that these commitments involve everyone and so we ask:

> That the political parties recognise the existence of child sexual abuse, and that they treat it with the gravity and seriousness it merits; that they include in their agenda valient policies and specific measures.

> That the institutions and public administration create and apply specific policies  and that they give sufficient resources to act for the protection of children, the investigation, the training of professionals and the prevention of child sexual abuse.

> That all social bodies actively involved in the child needs, protection and wellbeing, therefore assist in the prevention and awareness of child sexual abuse.  

> That laws and protocols should always work for the best interest of children.

> That the mass media achieve their function of informing accurately, but above all, that they be agents of change that generate opinion, promote awereness, and, when necessary, publicly denounce any violation.

> That the private sector participate and collaborate with personal and economic resources without fear of showing publicly their support in this matter.

> That the citizen open their eyes to the problem that child sexual abuse represents to all society, in order to vanquish the fear and the taboo that surrounds it.

> And that no one forget the adults who have suffered sexual abuse in their childhood, who have been invisible victims for many years and who need to feel that all society will help them on the road to recovery.