“The Smile of the Child” launches a nationwide campaign against the Sexual Abuse of Children with the slogan: "It remains a Secret"
10 November 2017
PRESS RELEASE
Friday, 10 November 2017
“The Smile of the Child” launches a nationwide campaign
against the Sexual Abuse of Children with the slogan:
"It remains a Secret"
#MeneiMystiko
#ΜένειΜυστικό
With the slogan “It remains a secret”, “The Smile of the Child organizes a nationwide campaign against the Sexual Abuse of children from the 11th of November to the 11th of December 2017. The campaign will be held under the aegis of His Excellence, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos and the support of the Representation of the European Commission in Greece.
“The Smile of the Child” initiates a dialogue on “Sexual Abuse of Children” with the aim to inform, discuss, map the various views and mobilize the general public against this serious issue. Through a number of actions and meetings that will be held across the country, the campaign will highlight the real extent of the phenomenon as well as its special characteristics.
Sexual abuse is a problem that holds no borders across countries. Greece has also experienced shocking stories of sexual crimes that have occurred within the family environment and across local societies. Few of these stories and cases are reported. Anger, shame, guilt as well as fear deter children victims from speaking out.
The aim of this campaign is to promote an open dialogue among the institutional actors involved in the phenomenon: Prosecutors, Judicial Servants, law enforcement, local authorities, health professionals, sports and youth associations and the academia. In addition, the campaign will focus on the need to strengthen our proposals and the level of prevention of and tackling of the cases of child sexual abuse.
In the framework of the campaign, working meetings will take place in various cities across Greece: Athens (13/11), Patras (14/11), Larisa (16/11), Ioannina (24/11), Chalkida, (27/11), Heraklion (28/11), Chania (29/11), Tripoli (4/12) and Thessaloniki (8/12). The meetings will be held with the support of the local Municipalities.
The campaign will culminate on the 11th of December with the presentation of the results and conclusions of this effort to His Excellence, the President of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Prokopis Pavlopoulos.
“The Smile of the Child” calls on citizens to support our actions against Child Sexual Abuse and become the “voice” of children:
• Visit our dedicated websie www.meneimystiko.gr to receive information on sexual abuse of children, read true stories, national and international statistics, look into cases that shocked the general public in the past and learn more about the reality faced by a child that finds the courage to speak out and report everything that is happening to him/her.
• Co-sign the proposals presented for discussion by “The Smile of the Child” here
• Follow us on social media using the hashtag of the campaign #ΜένειΜυστικό ή #MeneiMystiko
• Watch the TV spot of the campaign here (available in Greek only).
For more information: “The Smile of the Child”, Press Office, press@hamogelo.gr, +30 210 3306140.
