The biggest in the world history case of child sexual abuse was disclosed by Belarus Militia (police) with support of the media and civil society by the end of 2013. During 1989-2013 (24 years!!!) net of pedophiles molested over 10,000 boys in age of 11-14. Belarusian child protection system is hybrid and under development and it needs for strengthening to give an adequate response to this case, and to build comprehensive system to prevent its viral multiplication. Multiplication of the case is obvious - the half among perpetrators are previous victims. We are looking for your solidarity. Please share information on the case as wide as possible. Please donate via PayPal at office@ponimanie.org to support over 10,000 boy-victims as well as to prevent multiplication which is dangerous not only for Belarus but for European Union, Russia, and Ukraine - countries where to and from Belarus the most of men's labor migration goes.

1. International NGO “Ponimanie”
We did not have just one year to avoid our
“Stalingrad”: fighting the most challenging case
of child sexual abuse in nowadays history
XX ISPCAN International Congress, Nagoya, Japan, 2014

2. Queer Cyclist
In 2009 local Militia
(Police) of Minsk-city
started to register citizens’
complaints about a queer
cyclist over 50 years old.
He was cycling dressed in
pink or half-undressed
along the banks of the
river Svisloch in the center
of Minsk – capital city of
Belarus.

3. F., Militia Capt.:
• “That was no any reason for Militia
(Police) intervention. It could be some
kind of self-expression, no evidence of
real harm for others…”
• “But my professional eye said me to
“dig”, and I decided to look a bit deeper
at this case. First of all I identified this
person, and this is it– unemployed A.
had the record of a minor sexual
crime… I submitted report to my boss
and got permission to continue…”

4. Complaint from
flurried parents
• Irina and Vadim K. submitted a complaint to
Militia that their son Oleg of 13 had spent a
night off home, his mobile was turned off…
Three weeks ago Oleg entered into children’s
sport section of cycling.
• The searching file was open, and Oleg was
found alive in a desolate building in a couple
of blocks from his parents’ house. There was
clear evidence of beating: bruises and
scratches on the face and body.

5. Alexander B.,
Militia Lt.-Col.:
“I brought a child to the nearest CAC unit, and psychologist
asked him questions prepared by myself. Evidence was
obtained… Two men introduced them as trainers of a
cycling club and recruited boys of 11-14 in the street. Oleg
decided to enter the club. It was located in the garage of a
huge luxury half-constructed cottage . After a week of
training the “trainer” offered boys to dress pink uniform, and
then to look a film containing erotic and porno, after three
weeks - to have sex. Oleg refused this abusive offer and
intended to run away but was captured, beaten, and forced
to oral sex by one of “trainers”, another one repeated the
same with him. We had enough testimony from the child, as
well as direct evidence – biological substances of
perpetrators. They were arrested in an hour. They were
seating together with A. – queer cyclist - object of special
attention of my colleague Capt. F.”

6. Katherina Siniuk, reporter
Katherina held an independent journalist investigation of
the case of an ex-resident of Kobrin Orphanage Igor S. (19)
who had an attempt to commit a suicide. Igor told his story
of temporary employment as a construction worker at the
construction of the luxury cottage in the nearest suburban
of Minsk. He was forced to sex by the owner of the cottage,
millionaire and “philanthropist” Vyacheslav D. As to
evidence, hundreds of boys under 16 “passed through” this
cottage and hands of its owner as well as dozens of the
owner’s “friends”, for USD 50 a day. In 2-3 months victims
were starting to lose their attraction for perpetrators, and
had to choose– not come any more or become recruiters
for “cool asses” – new boy-victims, and even had an
opportunity to “test” them. Igor chose the second, worked
as recruiter for 3 years, and “climbed into the loop” right
after he molested a child for the first time.

7. Millionaire Vyacheslav D. (46)
• Ex-chief of Staff of Presidential Administration. Then–
Head of NGO “Helping Orphaned Children” – “cover” for
his criminal activity. Resident of Kobrin and Jastrembel
Orphanages in his childhood.
• D. was imprisoned for 4 years in 2013 for a minor
economic crime. His cottage of 1700 square meters is
below, with an entrance to “cycling garage” at the bottom
of picture, where notes with names and data of over
10,000 boy-victims were found.
• Investigation is ongoing
against D. and over 60
suspects – “friends” of
him. Over 10,000 boy-victims
apply for justice.
The youngest is 13, and
the oldest is 36 years
old.

8. “Friends” of D.
• Army, artists, state functionaries, church hierarchy,
businessmen…
• 2 “trainers” imprisoned for 17 years each, one – in closed
psychiaitric clinic for life-long, and 57 other suspects including 34
young men who were previously victims, and then became
predators; the majority of them – residents of orphanages in their
childhood, some of them compose “special task squad” of D.
• Journalist Katherina Siniuk was placed under state protection for
3 weeks because of blackmailing from “friends of D.” and young
men from “special task squad”
• Lt.-Col. Alexander B. have received a lot of “insisting
recommendations” to close the criminal file against the ex-high
state functionary. Investigation Committee refused the first
attempt of Militia to open the file because of “not enough
evidence”. Investigation goes slow, dozens of new suspects
appear.

9. Helping boy-victims
• Chief Child Psychiatrist of Belarus Dr. Vadim Kiriliuk, MD assured
us in December 2013: “Yes, we can manage all patients in frames
of the clinic” 
• Just 23 child psychotherapists for the country with about 10-Million
inhabitants, 13 of them – in 2-Million Minsk-city.
• 384 child-patients were served in January 2014 right after the
“case of bicyclists” was disclosed. Psychotherapists, Ponimanie
staff, and volunteers have worked day and night in the last two
weeks of this hot January, and still work hard.
• Doctors excel their capacities by times. 5 of them left their current
jobs due to full burn-out and protest against exploitation.
• Very limited support was provided from international community –
though we have applied for that through ISPCAN, our current
international donors, and UNICEF. Only ISPCAN/Kempe Center
and US Embassy in Belarus are on the way to manage small but
important technical assistance, due in December 2014.

10. Our current needs
• We have met disaster. We cannot handle this problem
ourselves. We ask for your solidarity. I apply for your solidarity
not only as a professional and leader of civil society, but also
as a Member of State Commission on Juvenile Affairs. I have
taken a personal responsibility to fight CAN in Belarus in 2004
and I’m holding it, and intend to hold further.
• We need for the infrastructure, tools, and training for
professionals, first of all medical staff and psychotherapists in
special issues of work with boy-victims of CSA.
• We did not have just one year to avoid this “Stalingrad” – by
the end of 2014 we launch the first full size CAC (Barnahus of
A-type) in Belarus, and we need at least 20-25 of them, as
well as we critically need central coordination and teaching
entity – United Model Child Protection Center, including Child
Helpline, extended CAC, and Treatment Service for kids.

11. United Model Idea
in-Brief
• To unite fragmentary elements of Child
Protection system into one comprehensive
technological chain – all under one roof
including management,
fundraising/development/PR functions
delegated at managerial level in frames of
the same agency of national or lower level
– depends on the
centralization/decentralization processes in
the target country

12. United Child Protection Model
Reporting/
Child Helpline
Belarus
Child-friendly
Investigation
and Trial/CAC/
Barnahus B and C-Type
Child-friendly
Treatment/ CAC/
Barnahus A-Type
Family/Parents
Rehabilitation/
CAC/Barnahus
Coordination,
Training,
M&E, Standards,
Recommendations
Additional Services: Nat.
Center for Missing &
Exploited Children
Nat. Family Justice Center

13. Geography
of elements of United Child Protection Model in
Belarus,
September 1, 2014
• CAC/Barnahus of B and C–Type (17),
NEEDED– 50 B-Type CAC
• Multidisciplinary Teams (17), NEEDED - 50
• Toll-free 7/24 National Child Helpline,
NEEDED : Velcom and LIFE:) access
• National Center for Missing and Exploited
Children, NEEDED: general development
• Full-size CAC/Barnahus of A-Type in
Children’s Hospital #4 of Minsk-city,
NEEDED : 20-25 A-Type CAC
• Universities (11), CAST Universities (3)
• Volunteers’ Groups (17)
• 3 local NGO, NEEDED: 10 at least
• International NGO Ponimanie – NEEDED:
UNITED MODEL CHILD PROTECTION
TRAINING AND SAMPLE-OF-ART
DIRECT SERVICE DELIVERY CENTER

14. Life-time Cost, Moral
Imperative, and Strategic
Investment
• UNICEF Hidden in Plain Sight Report (2014) emphasizes:
Ensuring that all forms of violence are recognized as a
fundamental violation of children’s human rights is a first
step in moving towards their elimination.
• Life-time Cost of Child Abuse in Belarus is over USD 113M
a year (2013, registered cases only).
• UNICEF Hidden in Plain Sight Report (2014) emphasizes
also on Moral Imperative and Strategic Investment in
Prevention and Response to Child Abuse.
• Estimated Strategic Investment in Prevention and
Response to Child Abuse and Neglect is USD 17M of initial
investment, and zero of follow up investment in
development of the United Model of Child Protection.

15. Conclusion
• Belarus has met a disaster – the largest case of
CSA in contemporary history. As to UNICEF Hidden
in Plain Sight Report (2014), sexual violence is not
limited to girls, it is equally intrusive and traumatic
for boys. The most boys remain silent their
experience in CSA.
• We have done a lot but we cannot overcome this
challenge ourselves with critically limited resources
at our disposal. We ask for support and solidarity
from donor and professional community worldwide.

16. Conclusion
• To solve the issue, we offer to develop further the United
Child Protection Model launched in Belarus in 2009 and
basing on systematic, comprehensive and integrative
approach to protection of children from violence including
Policy-making, Education, and Direct Service Delivery. The
United Model is offered to secure protection from abuse for
Belarusian children as well as to hold a sustainable and
replicable pilot for low and middle-income countries of EE-CIS
and around the Globe.
• United Child Protection Model demonstrates great change in
effectiveness/ cost efficiency of response/prevention of CAN
(2,5 – 2,7 times), and high level social impact on lives of
thousands of people via humanization of public attitude and
professional community to the needs of victimized children.

17. Conclusion
• The heart of the Model - United Child Protection
Training and Direct Service Delivery Center for
Belarus and the EE/CIS Region - must be
established in Belarus to maintain and further
develop an excellent example and the most
appropriate way to increase Social Impact on
children in low and middle-income countries with
limited societal/Governmental resources.
• We ask for your support to provide special
protective and treatment measures for 10,000 boy-victims,
and prevent such disaster for the future in
the frames of the completely developed United Child
Protection Model.

18. The largest and most atrocious case of
Child Sexual Abuse in contemporary history
happened in Belarus, with over 10,000 boy-victims.
Help them to survive and help to
prevent such disaster in the future
office@ponimanie.org
Thank you!
INGO “Ponimanie”/ TVS “Razumenne” – ISPCAN National Partner in Belarus
Recipient of ISPCAN Multidisciplinary Team Award 2014
Leschinskogo Street 8, Building 5, Office 403-404, 220140 Minsk, Belarus,
office@ponimanie.org
www.ponimanie.org