Volgograd Region: more crimes against children

The Volgograd Region experiences a growth in crimes accomplished against children and facts of cruel treatment of children by parents and other legitimate custodians. According to the Office of Public Prosecutor of the Volgograd Region, in 2008, 1146 criminal cases were opened on crimes accomplished against minors.

"Our daughter is 10, and we never let her out alone. Her school is in the yard of our house, but we still see her off to the school door. People here are like Harlem residents - anything can happen," Olga Sorokina, a resident of the "safe" Tsentralny District of Volgograd, complained to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent. According to her story, in late April in the morning an unknown man was chasing her daughter's schoolmate.

"In the end of winter all the parents were obliged to bring their children to and from the school," said Ms Sorokina, "as attacks on children by maniacs became more frequent in the city."

The "Caucasian Knot" correspondent addressed for explanations to the Regional Office of Public Prosecutor, where the rumours about numerous crimes against minors were confirmed.

"More than a half of all the crimes against children, investigated by the inspectors of Investigatory Committee at the Prosecutor's Office (ICPO) of the Russian Federation for our Region, had to do with crimes against sexual inviolability and sexual freedom of minors," Lydia Sergeeva, Senior Assistant of the Volgograd Regional Public Prosecutor, said to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Employees of the Office have drawn special attention to facts of cruel treatment of children by their parents and other legitimate representatives.