European Day for the protection of children from exploitation and sexual abuse + Stories to teach children to prevent abuse
On November 18, 2015, this event was declared as the European Day for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. This is an initiative of the Council of Europe associated with the Lanzarote Convention and the “One in Five” Campaign.
European Day for the protection of children from exploitation and sexual abuse
Sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children can occur online, by phone, on the street or through a webcam, at home or at school. It is inflicted by someone in the child’s circle of trust or by a complete stranger and may cause lifetime damage to the child’s physical and mental health.
To prevent these crimes, prosecute the aggressors and protect the victims, society needs to be aware of this problem, know the effective tools of prevention and denounce these forms of violence against minors, so that they do not become invisible and are taken practical measures to eradicate and resolve them.
In this context, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted a pioneering convention: the Lanzarote Convention, and launched a “One in Five” Campaign with the aim of stopping sexual violence against children. In 2015, he decided to go one step further by establishing the first European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, whose objectives are:
*Increase public awareness about sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children, and the need to prevent such acts.
*Generate an open debate on the protection of minors against sexual exploitation and sexual abuse, and help prevent and eliminate stigmatization of victims.
*Ratify and implement the Lanzarote Convention, a legally binding single instrument that obliges Parties to criminalize all forms of sexual abuse of children and explains ways to combat it.
The member states of the Council of Europe and civil society have the responsibility to mark and organize the European Children’s Day and all the people who interact with them in their personal or professional capacity (parents, teachers, law enforcement, etc. .).
On the other hand, the Council of Europe also provides awareness material (both for adults and children), and shares and promotes the different national actions and initiatives taken by the Member States.
Theme of the 2019 edition: “Empowering children to stop sexual violence”
To prevent these crimes, prosecute the perpetrators and protect the victims, society as a whole needs to make sure that it does not move away from the problem, but instead brings it to light and takes practical steps to solve it.
The present edition of the European Day for the protection of children from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse has the motto “Empower children to stop sexual violence” and is a day for all who interact with children in their personal capacity or professional (parents, teachers, tutors, medical doctors, etc.).
To raise awareness about sexual violence and facilitate open debates on the protection of children against this crime, the Council of Europe provides awareness material that we can consult and share in our networks, and shares and promotes the different national actions and initiatives taken by the member states.
In my next article, I will introduce a few books that can be useful to protect children from sexual abuse and violence. Thank you for reading.
