Child Focus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Child Focus is the common name of the European Center for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children.
Their emergency telephone numbers are:
- 110 (free, Belgium only)
- +32 2 475 44 99 (worldwide)
These numbers are available at all times.
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[edit] Activities
Child Focus is active in the prevention of the following matters:
- Missing children
- Abduction of children by a parent or stranger (child stealing or kidnapping)
- Runaway children
- Sexually abused and exploited children
The people at Child Focus provide psychological and legal support to the victims of these events (both the children and their parents). They also follow their cases and sometimes ensure they are treated with due care by the persons in charge. Finally, they help and spread the information about missing children by publishing their pictures and descriptions in newspapers, magazines, etc.
Since 1998, Child Focus has treated 3000 cases a year, and closed 70% of them within the year.
[edit] Funding
Child Focus' funds come from:
- The Belgian state (50%)
- Donations from people and organizations (50%)
[edit] History
Child Focus was created on Jean-Denis Lejeune's initiative in June 1996, one year after the abduction of his daughter Julie and her friend Melissa by Marc Dutroux.
Lejeune had learned about the existence of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington and went to visit it in order to study its structure. During the White March in Brussels on October 20, 1996, he asked Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene for help in creating a similar organization in Belgium. Its honorary president is her Majesty Queen Paola.
On March 31, 1998, Child Focus was fully operational, and in July 1997, Daniel Cardon de Lichtbuer became the first Chairman of the organization.
