Socialno delo, Vol. 43 (2004), Part 1
ARTICLES
Views of Secondary School Students on Sexuality, Family Planning and Non-religiosity - 9, (Abstract)
Abstracts
Bogdan Lešnik
Editor's notes
The first issue this year introduces a new type of contributions to the journal, entitled 'For good practice'. It is intended for reports on practice, small ad hoc research, short reflections, etc., which should be of interest particularly to other practitioners, but also to anybody else who is interested in what such services actually do. Social workers and others who work in the social field and want to present their experiences and views, or users of social services and related institutions who want to do the same, are cordially invited to write a few pages about it and sumbit them for publication.
Bojana Mesec
The Importance of Research and Planning of Voluntary Work
We only have a vague notion about how many people are involved in voluntary work, what are their actual tasks, what motivates them, and how their participation is valued. The main obstacles to obtain the data are that the field is dispersed, and that many voluntary jobs remain unidentified, as 'voluntary work' does not only encompass planned actions but also non-planned, spontaneous help. Indicators of the importance of voluntary work are of statistical nature, so it is crucial that the state institutions know the methods as well as the results of research on its impact on national economy. Quantitative indicators may persuade the government to assign a more prominent role to voluntary work, and they are also useful for the promotion and expansion of the field. The elementary data are quite necessary in communication with the media, so that these may adequately present and promote voluntary work, and they inform both public and private sectors about the many ties between national and community-based projects.
Keywords: civil society, non-profit organisations, politics of voluntary work.
Dr. Bojana Mesec is an assistant lecturer at University of Ljub¬ljana School of Social Work.
Božena Ronner
Views of Secondary School Students on Sexuality, Family Planning and Non-religiosity
The wider area of the town of Jesenice, with its traditional ironworks industry, is currently in transition from being a fading industrial complex to post-industrial modernisation. The values of young people seem stretched between these two systems. The author inquired in a questionnaire to what degree the students of Jesenice Grammar School have been affected by the processes of the second modernisation, comparing her results with a similar research from 1981. Notable differences can be spotted regarding contraception (the frequency of the response that it is a decision of parents has more than doubled) and regarding artificial ending of a pregnancy (again, the response that it is a decision of parents has doubled its occurrences).
Keywords: second modernisation, values, the youth.
Božena Ronner is a social worker, employed in the Municipality Jesenice as advisor to the mayor for the municipal council, protocol and information.
Polona Selič
Protection of Children from Sexual Abuse
The Convention on the Rights of the Child binds the state to observe and implement its Article 34, which defines sexual abuse, and Article 19, the first paragraph of which demands the protection of children from all forms of physical or mental violence, including sexual abuse, within their families. The Convention's guidelines are that the family is the basic and therefore the most important social group; nevertheless, the notion of the children's 'best interests' (Article 3) entails the protection of children from their parents' abuse as well (Articles 9 and 19). Sexual abuse of children is a pressing social phenomenon and a problem demanding the swiftest possible reaction of institutional networks and professional services. The protection of children from sexual violence and abuse is only possible as a comprehensive treatment involving both victims and perpetrators. The focused treatment of sexual offenders provides the individual (the potential victim) and society with greater security and must therefore be regulated by law, which, however, is a political decision.
Keywords: children's rights, violence, victim, offender, forensic psycho-physiology, polygraph.
Dr. Polona Selič is a forensic psycho-physiologist, an expert of Council of Europe for Prevention and Detection of Sexual Exploitation and Mistreatment of Children, and an independent counsellor to the Ombudsman of Slovenia.
Mateja Tajnšek
Experiencing Multiple Sclerosis
The presented qualitative analysis of interviews with five persons suffering from multiple sclerosis is based on Corbin and Strauss' theory of managing chronic disease. The inflicted describe their illness biographically, from the standpoint of their life stories, as something vital, even fateful. The progress of the disease is described in detail and at length, especially the occurrences in the hospital, because this was the time when their life completely changed. A disturbed self-image was perceived in the inflicted, along with the awareness of being different. A restoration of their life is crucial for them, but they are given little or no social support. They feel it very important to link up within the Association for Multiple Sclerosis.
Keywords: disability, narrative, life story, discrimination.
Mateja Tajnšek is a social worker, employed in the Municipality Slovenj Gradec, and a member of the Slovenian Association for Multiple Sclerosis.