18 May,2010 01:58 PM IST | | Agencies
A total of 1,613 children were abused to death in 2009, deputy speaker in State Duma in Russia has Nadezhda Gerasimova has said
"Last year, 108,700 children were abused, the health of 2,432 of them was gravely offended," said Nadezhda Gerasimova in a news conference dedicated to the International Children's Crisis Hotline Day yesterday.
He added that some 50,000 children run away from homes annually over family violence and more that 1,600 adults were deprived of parental right in Russia in 2009 alone. According to Gerasimova, more than 280 children's crisis hotline services are operating in 60 Russian regions.
They receive more than half a million calls a day from children and teenagers. Over 35 percent of such calls are complaints of child abuse or disregard of children's rights.
A single children's crisis hotline number will be introduced throughout Russia in August-September, said Marina Gordeyeva, chairperson of the fund for support of children in difficult situation.
The new hotline will unite crisis centres in all Russian regions, although current local hotline numbers will remain unchanged, she added.
