
Mr. Andraos is the Founder and President of BIKAFFE. Besides taking care of all the administrative affairs, he is highly involved in the planning and execution of all of BIKAFFE’s campaigns, events and other activities.
Ms. Khoury is the Public Relations Manager in BIKAFFE. She makes sure to convey the right message and spread the true image of the NGO, all while bringing awareness to BIKAFFE’s great cause.
Ms. Merchak is not only Co-founder, but also the Treasurer and Media Representative of BIKAFFE. Being a mom makes this cause very dear to her heart.
AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS HELD
CASES HANDLED
CHILDREN ENTERTAINED
EVENTS ORGANIZED
GIVE HANDS
Numbers
33
Volunteers
11,350
Direct contacts to raise awareness
10
TV & Radio interviews done to spread awareness
125
Times our 2015 radio spot was played in 5 stations
267,500
Visits to our website
63
Children helped
14
Summer camps and events organized
435
Children entertained
raising awareness against child sexual abuse
helping children who were sexually abused
organizing summer camp & entertaining activities for children
WE aim at raising awareness against child sexual abuse and at helping children who were sexually abused through handling their cases physically, psychologically and legally, in addition to organizing entertaining activities for children through which we spread awareness further.
WE believe in the power of living a happy, healthy childhood to build strong people who will contribute to establishing a great society and a bright future. It’s true what they say, “you grow through what you go through”, especially when you get the right help.
MORE & MORE…
NEVER ENOUGH!
BE STRONG
It is not your fault
SAY SOMETHING!
FAQs.
Sexual abuse occurs when a child is a sexual partner of an adult. Anyone under the age of 18 whom an adult uses for sexual enjoyment is considered a child who is sexually abused.
Child sexual abuse includes touching and non-touching activities.
Touching activities include:
Non-touching activities include:
Children who are victims of sexual abuse can experience devastating long-term emotional and psychological damage. For this reason, sexual abuse should be identified, reported and stopped immediately, and the victim should get professional help.
Child sexual abuse can occur in the family – by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative. It’s almost always by someone known by the child. Abusers can also be friends, neighbors, teachers, etc. Nevertheless, the abuse can at times be by a stranger.
Abusers come from all cases, races and religions, and may be homosexual or heterosexual. The majority of them are men.
When a child is sexually abused, they can develop different distressing feelings, thoughts and behaviors, as they are never psychologically prepared to cope with repeated sexual abuse, thus developing problems due to their inability to cope with the abuse.
The child who knows and loves the abuser experiences confusion. They become trapped between loving and trusting that person, and the sense that the sexual activity taking place is not right.
Sexually abused children can be silenced by the abuser who often offers the victim gifts or treats. If they try to break away from the sexual relationship, the abuser may threaten them, especially when sexual abuse takes place in the family and the child fears the anger or shame of other family members, or worry that the family would break up if the sexual abuse is no longer a secret.
There may be other reasons why sexual abuse victims don’t speak up. Very young children or children with special needs may lack the words or means of communication to tell about the abuse taking place.
Any sexually abused child usually develops low self-esteem and a distorted view of sex. They may become withdrawn and suicidal and lose trust in adults. They can even have difficulty relating to others – except with regards to sex. Some of them might even continue the pattern and become sexual abusers or prostitutes themselves, or have other serious issues when they become adults.
Sexual abuse should be considered a possible cause in the event your child displays any of the below signs:
If you suspect a case of sexual abuse, or if your child admits to being sexually abused, do not be afraid to seek help!
When a child has been taught what’s “okay” and what’s “not okay”, and they have self confidence, they are less likely to be a victim of sexual abuse and more willing to report an incident should one occur. To prevent your child from sexual abuse, many steps can be taken. Educating children about their bodies and teaching them what is considered sexual abuse and what is acceptable can help prevent such crimes.
When a kid reports that they are being or have been sexually abused, they are most often telling the truth, as less than 5% of all reports by children are actually false accusations.
Here is what you should do: