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Brave Movement
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Blogs

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Rompiendo el silencio: la lucha de un sobreviviente de violencia sexual en la infancia por una transformación colectiva

Una de las características más dolorosas que tiene este delito, es que las víctimas y sobrevivientes nos cargamos de vergüenza y de culpa, en parte a causa de que el agresor suele ser una persona cercana y en quien vos depositás tu confianza.

A group of people holding protest signs, including "All we want is safe schools" and "ENOUGH". They appear to be demonstrating for gun control and school safety measures.

Apple: Take Action to Keep Kids Safe

Last week, The Heat Initiative supported survivors in filing a $1.2 billion class action lawsuit against Apple, to hold the company accountable for their role in the proliferation of CSAM on their platforms. In response to a recent article highlighting the story of one of the plaintiffs, the Heat Initiative said,

Young woman in blue t-shirt and glasses, with braided hairstyle, seated at a desk.

Breaking the record of inaction in Nigeria: child-centred, grassroots advocacy for a safer digital future

New data, the world's very first global prevalence figure of childhood sexual violence unveiled by Together for Girls' Break the Record Campaign, shows that in the past 12 months, 82 million girls and 69 million boys experienced some form of sexual violence. This global scourge must be addressed, and we can certainly break this record of inaction towards ending childhood sexual violence. Collaborating with grassroots organizations around ending childhood sexual violence is critical to our mission. It includes data from Childlight which finds that over 300 million children under the age of 18 have been affected by online child and sexual exploitation and abuse in the last 12 months. These forms of childhood sexual violence, both contact and non-contact, have serious emotional, health, and psychosocial impacts on children and youth, including into adulthood. At Ravens Place, a school on the outskirts of Lagos, we delved into the urgent need to address online violence, with youth ambassadors facilitating group discussions with the children. The year ahead will be driven by Suburbancares youth-led advocacy with a children's summit focused on ending Online Sexual Violence in April 2025.

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Child marriage is sexual violence against children

When we address the stigma, shame, and silence around sexual violence against children, we can unlock crucial conversations around all forms of violence against children, adolescents, and youth; the intersections of violence against children with violence against women and other marginalized groups; and the systems of oppression that undergird violence in all its forms. Providing support to survivors of childhood sexual violence and child and early and forced marriage is a core focus of our mission. Along with centering survivors, strong grassroots organizations and campaigns are vital for shifting norms, informing communities about the harms of sexual violence, and reducing tolerance for practices like child marriage.

Three young children playing in a refugee camp, makeshift tents and shelters in the background, children wearing colorful clothing.

Breaking taboos: confronting sexual violence against children in MENA

Sexual violence against children is a crisis that knows no borders. Coupled with intersecting crises such as armed conflict, economic instability, and climate change, children in the region face compounding vulnerabilities. Globally, 120 million girls —1 in 10—experience sexual violence before age 20 (UNICEF). For instance, Egypt reports that 93% of children endure physical or psychological violence within their homes or communities, and sexual abuse is often entangled within these forms of violence. Across the MENA region, the stigma surrounding sexual violence is amplified by cultural norms and misinterpretations of religious teachings. Even more alarming, 70% of married girls aged 15-19 experience physical or sexual violence from their husbands, a figure that climbs in regions experiencing climate-induced poverty and instability. Sudan and Yemen face the highest prevalence of child marriage in the region, with 1 in 3 girls married before 18. With child marriage being deeply rooted in cultural and religious practices, many young brides are subjected to marital rape and other forms of gender-based violence. Child brides in Yemen frequently experience sexual violence, as well as severe restrictions on their freedom and education, perpetuating cycles of poverty and gender inequality. Timely healthcare is crucial for children who have experienced sexual violence, yet systemic barriers leave many without the necessary support. Sudan’s Humanitarian Response Plan includes a $63 million appeal to scale up prevention and response services, targeting 1.3 million survivors of gender-based violence, including children. To confront the crisis of sexual violence against children, we need bold, coordinated action to: Strengthen legal protections: strengthening legal protections is essential to combating sexual violence against children.

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Breaking the silence: the crisis of child sexual violence in Uganda

A large proportion of children in Uganda experience sexual violence but do not seek help. According to the 2015 Uganda Violence Against Children and Youth Survey (VACS) , among children aged 13-17, one in four girls (25 percent) and one in ten boys (11 percent) reported sexual violence in the previous year. For example, survivors of childhood sexual violence are at higher risk for mental health challenges, chronic health conditions, and substance abuse. Despite the 2010 Gender Based Violence (GBV) Act and The Penal Code, the use of informal methods of settling sexual violence cases involving children persists. Due to the stigma associated with sexual violence cases, such as name-calling, as well as attempts to preserve the honor, respect, and integrity of families, survivors may be forbidden to speak out. There is a dire lack of funding in Uganda, where police departments tasked with addressing childhood sexual violence operate on annual budgets as low as $200. Amplify survivor voices: Survivors must be at the forefront of the movement to end sexual violence. Systemic barriers, such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and underfunded law enforcement, exacerbate the impact of sexual violence, hindering survivors' ability to heal and find justice.

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How legislative and policy reform can protect children from sexual violence in religious spaces

Our mission is to put an end to the systems that allow violence against children in faith-based institutions, especially in the Catholic Church. Our role at ECA has been to examine and advocate for the reform of the laws within the Church that have allowed the sexual abuse of hundreds of thousands of children and perpetuated the cover-up of those crimes. In 2014, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child issued a series of recommendations to the Vatican to ensure the safety of children who are part of the Catholic Church: Canon Law reform. An independent mechanism for monitoring children's rights and the conduct of the Catholic hierarchy in managing sexual abuse. Multiple countries have issued reports following widespread investigations into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, including Australia, France, England, and Wales. ECA has presented several horrendous cases of clergy sexual abuse to both committees at the United Nations, including the Provalo case in Argentina involving the abuse of deaf and mute children. This decision emphasized the need for comprehensive reparation for all forms of violence against children, including sexual abuse, physical violence, and mistreatment in public, private, and religious institutions.

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We need bold and transformative action to end childhood sexual violence online

Digital platforms can and are being exploited by individuals to sexually abuse or exploit children, and new and emerging risks such as AI-generated imagery depicting child sexual abuse and financial sexual extortion are developing rapidly and further complicating efforts to end childhood sexual violence online. According to their Into the Light Index which was released earlier this year: 1 case of abuse is reported every second Online child sexual exploitation and abuse is prevalent in every country where it is measured 1 in 8 children globally have been subjected to online solicitation in the last 12 months 3.5% of children experienced sexual extortion The evidence reminds us of our collective responsibility to provide children and young people with the safe digital world that they deserve. Earlier this year, we presented a joint call to action by survivors and allies, alongside Safe Online and WeProtect Global Alliance, which called on the tech industry and other relevant stakeholders to commit to prevent and end the sexual exploitation and abuse of children online. Funding Prioritizing stable, sustained funding which tackles online child sexual exploitation and abuse is essential to addressing this issue as well. Ricardo Lins Horta highlighted evidence-based solutions from Brazil: Throughout the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the importance of tackling childhood sexual violence online was highlighted by survivors and allies, and governments. Throughout the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, the importance of tackling childhood sexual violence online was highlighted by survivors and allies, and governments.