Creating Awareness
From the Islington and Rotherham children’s home scandals, to the Rochdale child sex ring, to the recent football abuse allegations, the public are slowly becoming aware of the endemic nature of child sex abuse in the UK. According to the NSPCC, child sexual abuse still remains the number one topic no one wants talk about. This needs to change!
Rotherham is a shocking reminder of the silence and denial. The sheer number of victims - 1,400 conservatively estimated - and the countless children who were brave enough to come forward who were disbelieved, punished, mocked, accused and dismissed. This needs to change!
NSPCC STATS
- 1 in 6 children aged 11-17 have experienced sexual abuse.
- 1 in 10 children aged 11-17 have experienced sexual abuse in the past year.
- 1 in 9 young adults experienced contact sexual abuse during childhood.
- 4 out of 5 children aged 11-17 who experienced contact sexual abuse do not tell anyone.
Encouraging victim disclosure and public awareness of these issues are the primary goal of this campaign.
“All the perpetrator asks is that the bystander do nothing. He appeals to the universal desire to hear and speak no evil. The victim, on the contrary, asks the bystander to share the burden of the pain. Secrecy and silence are the perpetrator's first line of defence. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely he tries to make sure no one listens.” - Judith Herman, Healing Trauma, Statistics on Sexual Abuse & Young Offending
Since the Jimmy Savile investigation there has been a 40% increase in historic sexual offences being reported, a direct result of the publicity around Operation Yewtree. When the investigation went public, the NSPCC reported a huge surge in phone calls and an 84% increase in child abuse referrals to the police and social services. Public awareness works!
Gaslighting highlights the statistical link between childhood sexual abuse, poverty and youth offending.
A key objective of the film is to promote tolerance and empathy toward those young offenders who have been victims of 'Gaslighting' and sexual abuse, and to re-focus the publics attention on the causes of youth crime, rather than the crime itself.
BARNARDO'S STATISTICS ON YOUTH JUSTICE
- Children in the youth justice system are predominantly drawn from the poorest and most disadvantaged families and communities and have multiple problems.
- Many have a history of abuse, bereavement or being in care.
- 72% of children released from custody go on to re-offend within one year.
We believe film based awareness campaigns, promoted through our charity and partner affiliates, and various online and social media platforms, will spread the message and encourage child abuse victims to come forward.