Scandalous neglect of Prilep institutions regarding the raped girl Social services have forgotten about the victim
29.10.2010
Svetlana Risteska; Julijana Ivanovska
Social workers from Prilep have not taken any measures to protect a 13-year old girl from the village Golemo Konjari which lives in fear from her neighbor villager who has sexually molested her last year but it still free although he has received a 5 year prison sentence. The NGO for children’s rights protection Megjashi and independent experts say it is scandalous that the perpetrator is still close to victim, so having the possibility to threaten the victim and even repeat the offense. Two days ago, the girl’s mother Roska Gjorgjioska has declared that her neighbor villager Slave Dimitrioski who has been convicted of sexually molesting her 13-year old daughter, walks freely in her neighborhood and continuously threatens to murder them. Dimitrioski has filed an appeal to the court sentence and hasn’t received an answer in months, and the authorities haven’t taken in account the fact that he might repeat the deed or make threats to the victims. The Inter-municipal center for social work in Prilep (MCSR) refused to answer what kinds of counter-measures have been taken to protect the girl.
“I refuse to comment on this particular case.”
“According to the law for minors’ justice, if it is assessed that there is a necessity to take measures of help and support and in accordance with the parents, the Inter-municipal center for social work will take actions within its authority.” – says Ubavka Kjipinkovska, psychologist from MCSR – Prilep. People from the Children’s Embassy Megjashi say that a sentence of imprisonment should have been ruled immediately until a final court decision is made because he might influence on the child-victim to change its statement and there is also the possibility of repetition of the deed. This organization has received complaints on such cases before, but they say that courts are inert in their reaction.
“We appeal constantly that all parties involved in such proceedings (judges, public prosecutors, experts) should respect the urgency of the case and to act as soon as possible, having in mind that the cases involve minors as victims.” – says the children’s embassy. According to Megjashi, the court should make a restraining order or a prohibition of contact and further relationship between the accused and the victim. The parents should file a written appeal to the president of the relevant court in which they will state the necessity of protection. According to Mirjana Najchevska, a human rights expert, in such cases families have the right to ask the court to assign house arrest to the perpetrator, in order t feel more secure. As Najchevska says, the centers for social work are the basic instance for healing of the consequences that the under-aged girl has suffered. If the actions and measures taken are afterwards still considered unsuitable, it can be appealed to the Ombudsman.
According to the court verdict, Dimitrioski has commited the felony on April 21st 2009. He was in his shop when the little girl came in. He first dragged her towards himself and started touching her on her private parts. Afterwards, he sat on a chair, took her hand and tried to place it on his genitals. The terrified girl managed to break away and to open the shop door, but he grabbed her again and warned her not to tell anyone. In July the Basic court has sentenced him to a 5 year prison sentence which still isn’t effective.
Source: http://www.vreme.com.mk/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=1&EditionID=2156&ArticleID=150888
Translated by: Dijana Janevska
volunteer at First Children’s Embassy in the World Megjashi
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