The ELIZA Initiative is aimed at professionals who work closely with children, urging them to speak up when they perceive that a child in their vicinity is subjected to any form of violence, and to become the helping hand every child needs when experiencing abuse.
How long will you wait to speak?
Starting in a coordinated effort for a month, ELIZA’s endeavor is to raise awareness among the public, especially professionals working with children, about the necessity of reporting incidents of suspected child abuse and neglect.
With the message “How long will you wait to speak?” ELIZA encourages professionals to speak up before it’s too late. They are urged to speak up about their suspicions and consult one of the counselors/operators at the ELIZA Helpline 10454 about how to handle these suspicions. ELIZA wants to emphasize to everyone that what a professional observes near a child is their suspicion, not certainty. Certainty is not their knowledge or responsibility. However, just the act of reporting suspicion can be substantially helpful.
Additionally, the message is grounded in the understanding that abuse primarily occurs within the child’s immediate or extended family environment, and those who can perceive and intervene are professionals working closely with children, such as teachers, pediatricians, coaches, preschool teachers, childcare providers, and more.
The dissemination of this message is carried out with the help of television, radio, social media, metro, buses, and trolleys. Our allies in shaping and spreading the message are The Newtons, TEMPO OMD, Interbus A.E., and ADVENGERS.
The Purpose of the ELIZA Helpline 10454
The ELIZA Helpline 10454 aims to assist professionals working closely with children who perceive or suspect that a child is being mentally, physically, or sexually abused or neglected.
The ELIZA Helpline 10454 aims to protect children by providing support to callers, addressing questions regarding legal and procedural matters related to reporting cases of neglect and/or abuse.
The ELIZA Helpline 10454 provides psychological empowerment for investigating suspected cases of neglect or abuse and psychological support for correctly addressing and potentially reporting the incident.
The ELIZA Helpline 10454 was created and operates with the valuable sponsorship of the gold sponsor “DEI” and the major sponsor “The Hellenic Initiative,” as well as the contribution of the supporter “COSMOTE.”
Spread ELIZA’s Message
Children are everyone’s responsibility, and preventing their abuse and neglect belongs to everyone. In this spirit, ELIZA calls on everyone to protect the child, not to wait to speak up, not to wait until they are certain.
“Children are everyone’s responsibility. They belong to no one. They are the future of every society. They are the continuation of life. We, as adults, are all responsible for them. We must give them the hand they need when they need it. We must protect them from any threat to their physical and/or mental health. We must speak up for them when they cannot or do not realize the ‘evil’ that is happening to them. If it’s not our responsibility, whose is it? Let each of us be the one to offer a helping hand. With this mindset, we shaped the first campaign against all forms of child abuse. Because child abuse has many faces, and all are painful for the child. Because we adults are responsible for them and must rise to the occasion,” said Vanna Marketaki, head of the ELIZA office.
