On June 3, an online discussion “Vulnerability of Adults in the Context of Violence Prevention” was held, organized by the Center for Child Dignity of the Ukrainian Catholic University as part of the presentation of the book “The Wellbeing of the Child: Promotion – Protection – Rights”.
The event was dedicated to modern approaches to understanding adult vulnerability and its significance for protection and violence prevention systems. The main speaker was Neville Owen – former Senior Judge of the Court of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, and one of the authors of the presented publication.
During his speech, Neville Owen emphasized that vulnerability should not be defined solely by a list of characteristics or a person’s belonging to a particular group. Instead, it is important to pay attention to specific life circumstances, power imbalances, and dependencies that can create a risk of exploitation or violence. This approach allows for a better understanding of people’s needs and more effective development of protection systems.
Participants also discussed how the concept of adult vulnerability is applied in the legislation of various countries, how it develops in the church environment, and how it influences the formation of safeguarding policies. Particular attention was paid to the need to expand protection approaches not only for children but also for adults who may find themselves in a vulnerable position due to certain circumstances.
Such professional discussions contribute to the development of a culture of safeguarding and help implement modern international approaches to protecting human dignity and preventing violence. Representatives of Caritas Ukraine joined the event – Marta Yatsyshyn, Manager for Safeguarding Policy and System Implementation, and Anastasia Nabokova, Manager for Child Protection Policy and System Implementation.
The recording of the meeting is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EY6YN2N73Do
