This blog post originally appeared on bravemovement.org: November 18th: World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence.
This article reflects the viewpoints and experiences of the contributing individual(s) and/or organizations.
Content Warning(s): child sexual abuse
Imagine a world where there are almost no rules. Where police will never have the time or resources to fully protect children. And where the people in charge do little to keep them from harm. Welcome to the online world.
On the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence, let’s remind ourselves of our collective responsibility to protect children.
This year’s theme –“emerging technologies, threats and opportunities for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse”– is timely, and vital. As technology advances, the risks to children online are multiplying exponentially.
At the Brave Movement, we recognize these threats and call for transformative action to protect children both offline and online, right now.
The Issue
The digital world is amplifying children’s exposure to sexual exploitation and abuse. The data is terrifying. The Into the Light Index, highlights the prevalence of this hidden pandemic all over the world. Here are just a few of its shocking statistics:
- 1 case of abuse is reported every second
- 300 million+ children have been affected by abusive behaviors
- 3.5% of children experienced sexual extortion
Beyond The Screen
These figures are a wake-up call and underscore the urgent need for action. To address this growing issue, the Brave Movement is at the forefront of advocacy and awareness, with initiatives to engage governments, the tech industry, and other stakeholders in efforts to combat online abuse.
One of our most impactful initiatives to inspire action this year is our survivor-centered short film, “Beyond the Screen: Hidden Voices of Online Abuse.” The film premiered on July 17th, at our event which marked 100 days before the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children. This event, hosted alongside our partners WeProtect Global Alliance and Safe Online, served as an important milestone on the road to the conference in Bogotá, Colombia, and helped set the stage for further advocacy on child safety online.
Since its launch, Beyond the Screen has been showcased in screenings worldwide, from Zambia to Iceland to France, with new screenings planned in communities around the world. If you are interested in hosting a screening of the film in your own community, we invite you to view our screening guide for instructions.
The Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children
Our film was also screened in Bogotá, Colombia, at the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, at our Safe Digital Futures for Children satellite event.
This event, co-hosted with WeProtect Global Alliance and Safe Online, highlighted the growing threat of digital harms to children and urged world leaders to address online safety as part of the global effort to combat violence against children. It brought together policymakers, practitioners, civil society, researchers, industry members, operators, and media. Crucially, survivors and youth groups made important contributions to the discussions throughout the day.
As survivor-advocate Rhiannon-Faye McDonald said:
“It’s so important to have people with lived experience and young people in the room as part of all of these conversations.”
You can view some highlights and key takeaways from the event and our coverage.
The importance of addressing childhood sexual violence online is also highlighted in Together For Girls’ historic #BreakTheRecord Campaign, which aims to end childhood sexual violence once and for all, and break the record of inaction to protect children.
Launched alongside world-first data on the global prevalence of sexual violence against children, the #BreakTheRecord Campaign is an important call to action for leaders who gathered at the conference in Bogotá and beyond. Learn more about the campaign and how you can join us in taking action.
Ultimately, the first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children has been a crucial opportunity for governments from around the world to come together to end violence against children. 119 governments and more than 1000 multi-stakeholder delegates were represented at the conference and set an official Guinness World Record™ for the most countries ever at such an event.
The conference also marked a significant turning point in the global conversation about child safety online. A key outcome, as a result of advocacy efforts from the Brave Movement, partners, survivors, and allies around the world, was the commitment of 23 governments to address the escalating crisis of online child sexual exploitation and abuse. This is a crucial step forward in our collective efforts to protect children in the digital age.
Call to Action
As we observe the World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence, we reflect on the progress made so far, particularly with the Bogotá conference, while recognizing the work that remains to be done. The growing digital threats to children cannot be ignored, and it is imperative that governments follow through on their commitments from the Bogotá conference. Join us in calling on governments and tech industries to keep kids safe and end online child sexual abuse by signing our petition.
As our founder, Daniela Ligiero said,
“It’s going to take all of us to be brave. The name of our movement is a conviction that we must be brave so that children can be safe, and it’s also an invitation. Join us and be brave with us as we tackle these issues and make the world safer for kids.”
Now is the time for urgent and transformative action that will protect children both online and offline. Because children can’t wait.
