A campaign to recognise survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse
The 16 Days of Activism against violence against women and girls is an international campaign that takes place each year. It commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, until 10 December, Human Rights Day. This year’s theme is “Orange the world: End violence against women now!”
One in three women worldwide experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Violence against women and girls is a human rights violation, and the immediate and long-term physical, sexual, and mental consequences for women and girls can be devastating. Violence negatively affects women’s general well-being and prevents them from fully participating in society. It impacts their families, their community, and the country at large. It has tremendous costs, from greater strains on health care to legal expenses and losses in productivity.
The reality is that you meet survivors all the time, everyday, everywhere you go. They are the people at the supermarket checkout. The teacher who spends all day with your child. They are your elderly neighbour next door. They may even be your sister, or your father. You just don’t know it because they don’t tell you.
Viv Gordon is supporting and joining the campaign this year to raise awareness for the 11 million survivors of childhood sexual abuse in the UK. We’re on a mission to pay tribute to this shocking number by cutting out 11 million #PaperDolls in our #CuttingOut campaign.
Learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved here.
By becoming an ally, you are celebrating those who chose to share their silent pain and you’re helping to channel it into something tangible. A national memorial for 11 million lost childhoods. Each individual matters. Each story. The more allies that take part, the safer it is for survivors themselves to take part.
Paper dolls are not unspeakable. We can talk about these. We can show our support and cut out our own doll and share them online. Use the hashtags listed below and if you’re a CSA survivor, add #thisonesme if you want to self-identify.
- #cuttingout
- #paperdolls
- #supportsurvivors
- #thisonesme
- #16daysofactivism
- #11million
- #orangetheworld
Share our posts on social media; talk about the campaign with your colleagues, friends and families. Invite them to join in too. Do #CuttingOut as a collective activity in support groups or work meetings and share with us!
