An invasion of street children has begun in Sochi

In Sochi, a concerned citizen filmed several little tramps spending the night on Platanovaya Street. The laundry is spread out right on the ground, and several pairs of shoes neatly stand nearby. Plus a stroller and a baby, who is also sleeping in a common pile of bodies on some rags. According to reports from other regions, the problem of child homelessness is again rearing its head.

The Sochi residents identified those spending the night in the clearing as a group of beggars who had been touring the resort for a week. And they even took a separate photo of the “Madonna and Child” – a young girl who, pushing a blue stroller with a baby who looked to be a year and a half old, was “raising money for the child’s treatment.” A poster attached to the foot of the stroller says so.

“These are gypsies, and they have a camp nearby,” say the locals. Others complain that the resort has “an invasion of homeless people, they walk and beg even in Krasnaya Polyana.” But having children is something new. Still other experts claim that “now they will be caught, put on an electric train, and they will come back.”

Interestingly, on the same day, also under a tree, Sochi police discovered a family with children, located under the trees in the fresh sea air. It turned out that parents with many children from Krasnodar dreamed of going to the legendary resort. We came here by train, but the accommodation turned out to be unaffordable for them. Despite the explanation, the “nomadic family” with several children was taken to the police.

“Professional” women beggars with babies and children who “shake” compassionate citizens have appeared again – such signals are coming from different parts of the country. Not only from southern places like the Voronezh and Kursk regions, near which there is now unrest. But also from Samara, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, Tyumen, etc. They are not yet visible in Moscow, although pregnant women begging near the metro have again begun to appear. But, as you know, any such “business” is tested in the regions, and then quickly reaches the capitals.

“About a year ago, children who beg for change appeared again,” says English tutor Daria from Voronezh. – First, sporadically inside large stores: “Give me 20 rubles for juice, give me for a chocolate bar.” Dressed decently, not ragged, not gypsies. Then it started in parking lots near shops and shopping centers, where people usually approach older people, already teenagers. They go to Central Park, Meat Square and generally the tourist center. And near the station, this is a classic – they ask for money for a ticket.

But in 2022, educational departments, through the words of the director of the department of state policy in the field of protection of children’s rights, Larisa Falkovskaya, reported on the “eradication of street children.” “By developing now, at the present time, a system for the prevention of neglect and juvenile delinquency, we are saying that we have practically no street children left.”…

“There are and will be homeless children,” says a police captain on condition of anonymity. – The numbers are small on a national scale, but constant, 5-6 thousand minors per year. Runners from orphanages – in some places they generally make it a rule to hang around for six months or a year and return to fatten up. Children from foster families. But they also run away from relatives who drink and beat, and from families with many children. There is a certain percentage of normal parents who have children with mental problems or typical teenage problems. And gypsies, yes, but that’s a separate issue. The gypsies, despite all their external laxity, have a system. And if there is a group with children, they do not go there without supervision. There is a different business and different arrangements, the children learn there from them. At the station they can only ask for milk if they live on electric trains.

I can recommend to everyone a good way to get rid of harassment somewhere on the station square. Tell them quietly: “I work here,” and they will immediately move away…

Any appearance on the streets of children shooting change not for “ice cream and a movie”, but clearly collecting alms – a child walks around with a glass for change, “is on duty”, giving money to everyone – or the appearance of women with small children also collecting money “for treatment “should be treated as an incident. The police ask to report such things to a general number. Of course, it’s good to film what’s happening and wait for the police as a witness.

But we must take into account that two or three adult observers can rub around each little beggar or “Madonna”. And according to the law, it turns out that it is difficult to present anything to street beggars. There is an article of the Criminal Code for “involving a minor in antisocial actions”; it is difficult to prove. And “inadequate performance of parental responsibilities” involves a labor-intensive search for these same parents or guardians.