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A Vision To Zero:
A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence
A Vision To Zero:
A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence
A Vision To Zero:
A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence
A Vision To Zero:
A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence
January 2025
Our report can be viewed in full on this page. You can also download a PDF version if you prefer using the download button below.
Foreword
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience some form of childhood sexual violence (CSV) growing up. This is unacceptable because we know that childhood sexual violence (CSV) is preventable and that we can and will prevent it.
Foreword
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience some form of childhood sexual violence (CSV) growing up. This is unacceptable because we know that childhood sexual violence (CSV) is preventable and that we can and will prevent it.
Foreword
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience some form of childhood sexual violence (CSV) growing up. This is unacceptable because we know that childhood sexual violence (CSV) is preventable and that we can and will prevent it.
Foreword
1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience some form of childhood sexual violence (CSV) growing up. This is unacceptable because we know that childhood sexual violence (CSV) is preventable and that we can and will prevent it.
To Zero began with a bold ambition and a simple premise. We want a world where all children can grow up free from the threat of sexual violence. And we believe that by coming together to build a shared vision of that future, we will be able to more effectively realise that vision.
Yet, despite the heroic, and often unsung, efforts of so many exceptional leaders and committed actors in our field and the growing evidence base of what works, this issue can continue to attract a sense of fatalism and taboo, too often remaining in the shadows. And we know, as a field, our response can at times be fragmented.
Now is the time to change this sense of fatalism, to reject the stigma associated with childhood sexual violence and to come together to build a pathway to the future. Childhood sexual violence is preventable and, by working collectively and by pressurising and incentivizing others such as government, industry and institutions, we can and will prevent it.
And so, it is with pride and gratitude that we present this report, which captures the outcomes of our 18-month visioning process. Throughout the process, we have been privileged to work with an exceptional group of over 330 leaders from around the globe, including people with lived experience, both disclosed and non-disclosed, and those without. They have lent us their voices, perspectives, and expertise and their contributions have infused this process with depth, diversity, and global relevance.
We have also been privileged and honoured to work alongside our To Zero Champions, whose wisdom and guidance have been invaluable. They have provided us with strategic direction, insight, advice and support throughout. To Lucie Cluver, Daniela Ligiero, Soma Sara, Pooja Taparia, Cornelius Williams, Dalia Hashad, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Naja Carina Steenholdt and Denise Buchanan, our deepest thanks.
On a personal note, I want to thank the inspirational colleagues it has been my pleasure to work with. This has truly been a team effort, and we would not be where we are today without the extraordinary efforts of Tabitha Mpamira, Graham Leicester, Kathleen Cravero, Tanya Beer, Amanda Pierz, Bella Eames-Matthews, Ambika Samarthya-Howard, Shoba Mistry and Brigette De Lay.
And finally, thank you to our visionary funders and supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible: Oak Foundation, The Indigo Trust, Phillips Foundation and Ignite Philanthropy.
This report is a testament to what can be achieved when diverse minds and hearts come together with a shared purpose. It captures not only the outcomes of our visioning process but also the spirit of collaboration and possibility that has defined our work. We hope it serves as both a reflection of our journey and a call to action for the future.
To all who joined us on this path – thank you for your trust, your commitment, and your belief that together we can bring childhood sexual violence to zero.
With gratitude,
Seán Coughlan
Director, To Zero
To Zero began with a bold ambition and a simple premise. We want a world where all children can grow up free from the threat of sexual violence. And we believe that by coming together to build a shared vision of that future, we will be able to more effectively realise that vision.
Yet, despite the heroic, and often unsung, efforts of so many exceptional leaders and committed actors in our field and the growing evidence base of what works, this issue can continue to attract a sense of fatalism and taboo, too often remaining in the shadows. And we know, as a field, our response can at times be fragmented.
Now is the time to change this sense of fatalism, to reject the stigma associated with childhood sexual violence and to come together to build a pathway to the future. Childhood sexual violence is preventable and, by working collectively and by pressurising and incentivizing others such as government, industry and institutions, we can and will prevent it.
And so, it is with pride and gratitude that we present this report, which captures the outcomes of our 18-month visioning process. Throughout the process, we have been privileged to work with an exceptional group of over 330 leaders from around the globe, including people with lived experience, both disclosed and non-disclosed, and those without. They have lent us their voices, perspectives, and expertise and their contributions have infused this process with depth, diversity, and global relevance.
We have also been privileged and honoured to work alongside our To Zero Champions, whose wisdom and guidance have been invaluable. They have provided us with strategic direction, insight, advice and support throughout. To Lucie Cluver, Daniela Ligiero, Soma Sara, Pooja Taparia, Cornelius Williams, Dalia Hashad, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Naja Carina Steenholdt and Denise Buchanan, our deepest thanks.
On a personal note, I want to thank the inspirational colleagues it has been my pleasure to work with. This has truly been a team effort, and we would not be where we are today without the extraordinary efforts of Tabitha Mpamira, Graham Leicester, Kathleen Cravero, Tanya Beer, Amanda Pierz, Bella Eames-Matthews, Ambika Samarthya-Howard, Shoba Mistry and Brigette De Lay.
And finally, thank you to our visionary funders and supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible: Oak Foundation, The Indigo Trust, Phillips Foundation and Ignite Philanthropy.
This report is a testament to what can be achieved when diverse minds and hearts come together with a shared purpose. It captures not only the outcomes of our visioning process but also the spirit of collaboration and possibility that has defined our work. We hope it serves as both a reflection of our journey and a call to action for the future.
To all who joined us on this path – thank you for your trust, your commitment, and your belief that together we can bring childhood sexual violence to zero.
With gratitude,
Seán Coughlan
Director, To Zero
To Zero began with a bold ambition and a simple premise. We want a world where all children can grow up free from the threat of sexual violence. And we believe that by coming together to build a shared vision of that future, we will be able to more effectively realise that vision.
Yet, despite the heroic, and often unsung, efforts of so many exceptional leaders and committed actors in our field and the growing evidence base of what works, this issue can continue to attract a sense of fatalism and taboo, too often remaining in the shadows. And we know, as a field, our response can at times be fragmented.
Now is the time to change this sense of fatalism, to reject the stigma associated with childhood sexual violence and to come together to build a pathway to the future. Childhood sexual violence is preventable and, by working collectively and by pressurising and incentivizing others such as government, industry and institutions, we can and will prevent it.
And so, it is with pride and gratitude that we present this report, which captures the outcomes of our 18-month visioning process. Throughout the process, we have been privileged to work with an exceptional group of over 330 leaders from around the globe, including people with lived experience, both disclosed and non-disclosed, and those without. They have lent us their voices, perspectives, and expertise and their contributions have infused this process with depth, diversity, and global relevance.
We have also been privileged and honoured to work alongside our To Zero Champions, whose wisdom and guidance have been invaluable. They have provided us with strategic direction, insight, advice and support throughout. To Lucie Cluver, Daniela Ligiero, Soma Sara, Pooja Taparia, Cornelius Williams, Dalia Hashad, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Naja Carina Steenholdt and Denise Buchanan, our deepest thanks.
On a personal note, I want to thank the inspirational colleagues it has been my pleasure to work with. This has truly been a team effort, and we would not be where we are today without the extraordinary efforts of Tabitha Mpamira, Graham Leicester, Kathleen Cravero, Tanya Beer, Amanda Pierz, Bella Eames-Matthews, Ambika Samarthya-Howard, Shoba Mistry and Brigette De Lay.
And finally, thank you to our visionary funders and supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible: Oak Foundation, The Indigo Trust, Phillips Foundation and Ignite Philanthropy.
This report is a testament to what can be achieved when diverse minds and hearts come together with a shared purpose. It captures not only the outcomes of our visioning process but also the spirit of collaboration and possibility that has defined our work. We hope it serves as both a reflection of our journey and a call to action for the future.
To all who joined us on this path – thank you for your trust, your commitment, and your belief that together we can bring childhood sexual violence to zero.
With gratitude,
Seán Coughlan
Director, To Zero
To Zero began with a bold ambition and a simple premise. We want a world where all children can grow up free from the threat of sexual violence. And we believe that by coming together to build a shared vision of that future, we will be able to more effectively realise that vision.
Yet, despite the heroic, and often unsung, efforts of so many exceptional leaders and committed actors in our field and the growing evidence base of what works, this issue can continue to attract a sense of fatalism and taboo, too often remaining in the shadows. And we know, as a field, our response can at times be fragmented.
Now is the time to change this sense of fatalism, to reject the stigma associated with childhood sexual violence and to come together to build a pathway to the future. Childhood sexual violence is preventable and, by working collectively and by pressurising and incentivizing others such as government, industry and institutions, we can and will prevent it.
And so, it is with pride and gratitude that we present this report, which captures the outcomes of our 18-month visioning process. Throughout the process, we have been privileged to work with an exceptional group of over 330 leaders from around the globe, including people with lived experience, both disclosed and non-disclosed, and those without. They have lent us their voices, perspectives, and expertise and their contributions have infused this process with depth, diversity, and global relevance.
We have also been privileged and honoured to work alongside our To Zero Champions, whose wisdom and guidance have been invaluable. They have provided us with strategic direction, insight, advice and support throughout. To Lucie Cluver, Daniela Ligiero, Soma Sara, Pooja Taparia, Cornelius Williams, Dalia Hashad, Faith Mwangi-Powell, Naja Carina Steenholdt and Denise Buchanan, our deepest thanks.
On a personal note, I want to thank the inspirational colleagues it has been my pleasure to work with. This has truly been a team effort, and we would not be where we are today without the extraordinary efforts of Tabitha Mpamira, Graham Leicester, Kathleen Cravero, Tanya Beer, Amanda Pierz, Bella Eames-Matthews, Ambika Samarthya-Howard, Shoba Mistry and Brigette De Lay.
And finally, thank you to our visionary funders and supporters, without whom none of this would have been possible: Oak Foundation, The Indigo Trust, Phillips Foundation and Ignite Philanthropy.
This report is a testament to what can be achieved when diverse minds and hearts come together with a shared purpose. It captures not only the outcomes of our visioning process but also the spirit of collaboration and possibility that has defined our work. We hope it serves as both a reflection of our journey and a call to action for the future.
To all who joined us on this path – thank you for your trust, your commitment, and your belief that together we can bring childhood sexual violence to zero.
With gratitude,
Seán Coughlan
Director, To Zero
Getting To Zero
To Zero started the process by commissioning a report to gain a deep understanding of the current landscape. Getting to Zero: A Review of The Evidence To End Childhood Sexual Violence anaylsed historical and current evidence from across the sector. Its goal was to make sure everyone helping to develop the To Zero Vision and Roadmap had access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges at the time of writing and revisions based on feedback from the To Zero community.
Getting To Zero
To Zero started the process by commissioning a report to gain a deep understanding of the current landscape. Getting to Zero: A Review of The Evidence To End Childhood Sexual Violence anaylsed historical and current evidence from across the sector. Its goal was to make sure everyone helping to develop the To Zero Vision and Roadmap had access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges at the time of writing and revisions based on feedback from the To Zero community.
Getting To Zero
To Zero started the process by commissioning a report to gain a deep understanding of the current landscape. Getting to Zero: A Review of The Evidence To End Childhood Sexual Violence anaylsed historical and current evidence from across the sector. Its goal was to make sure everyone helping to develop the To Zero Vision and Roadmap had access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges at the time of writing and revisions based on feedback from the To Zero community.
Getting To Zero
To Zero started the process by commissioning a report to gain a deep understanding of the current landscape. Getting to Zero: A Review of The Evidence To End Childhood Sexual Violence anaylsed historical and current evidence from across the sector. Its goal was to make sure everyone helping to develop the To Zero Vision and Roadmap had access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges at the time of writing and revisions based on feedback from the To Zero community.
Executive summary
To Zero was created to help the global community of individuals and organizations working to end CSV to align around a shared vision, understand the barriers that frustrate progress and help break them down – because we know that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
Executive summary
To Zero was created to help the global community of individuals and organizations working to end CSV to align around a shared vision, understand the barriers that frustrate progress and help break them down – because we know that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
Executive summary
To Zero was created to help the global community of individuals and organizations working to end CSV to align around a shared vision, understand the barriers that frustrate progress and help break them down – because we know that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
Executive summary
To Zero was created to help the global community of individuals and organizations working to end CSV to align around a shared vision, understand the barriers that frustrate progress and help break them down – because we know that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.




Having worked with over 330 actors from across the sector for more than 18 months, we know that a shared vision for the field is vital. Such a vision can show how the sector can begin to address the lack of resourcing, and make sure that the right emphasis is placed on longer-term work that addresses root causes. Most importantly, this vision shows what we can achieve by working together more coherently to combat the cultural taboos that keep this issue in the shadows.
Using the Three Horizons framework, To Zero’s visioning process allowed the sector to create a map of the field and a shared direction of travel. While consensus was not the primary outcome of the process, actors within the sector were united in seeking to create a safe and healthy world for children, adolescents and youth. In such a vision of society, healthy cultures will have effectively normalized conversations around CSV and removed the threat of sexual violence throughout the life course, starting in childhood. Strong systems of governance are dedicated to preventing future incidence of CSV, supporting the healing of CSV survivors and developing a stronger culture of justice and accountability that prioritizes the rights, needs and safety of survivors.
This survivor-centered approach starts with supporting children, adolescents and youth to develop a sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. It ends with strong, sustained policy mechanisms and stringent regulation and oversight that will keep public settings and private companies safe for children, including online environments.
The visioning process also identified the pathways and practical steps that we believe should be prioritized.
Having worked with over 330 actors from across the sector for more than 18 months, we know that a shared vision for the field is vital. Such a vision can show how the sector can begin to address the lack of resourcing, and make sure that the right emphasis is placed on longer-term work that addresses root causes. Most importantly, this vision shows what we can achieve by working together more coherently to combat the cultural taboos that keep this issue in the shadows.
Using the Three Horizons framework, To Zero’s visioning process allowed the sector to create a map of the field and a shared direction of travel. While consensus was not the primary outcome of the process, actors within the sector were united in seeking to create a safe and healthy world for children, adolescents and youth. In such a vision of society, healthy cultures will have effectively normalized conversations around CSV and removed the threat of sexual violence throughout the life course, starting in childhood. Strong systems of governance are dedicated to preventing future incidence of CSV, supporting the healing of CSV survivors and developing a stronger culture of justice and accountability that prioritizes the rights, needs and safety of survivors.
This survivor-centered approach starts with supporting children, adolescents and youth to develop a sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. It ends with strong, sustained policy mechanisms and stringent regulation and oversight that will keep public settings and private companies safe for children, including online environments.
The visioning process also identified the pathways and practical steps that we believe should be prioritized.
Having worked with over 330 actors from across the sector for more than 18 months, we know that a shared vision for the field is vital. Such a vision can show how the sector can begin to address the lack of resourcing, and make sure that the right emphasis is placed on longer-term work that addresses root causes. Most importantly, this vision shows what we can achieve by working together more coherently to combat the cultural taboos that keep this issue in the shadows.
Using the Three Horizons framework, To Zero’s visioning process allowed the sector to create a map of the field and a shared direction of travel. While consensus was not the primary outcome of the process, actors within the sector were united in seeking to create a safe and healthy world for children, adolescents and youth. In such a vision of society, healthy cultures will have effectively normalized conversations around CSV and removed the threat of sexual violence throughout the life course, starting in childhood. Strong systems of governance are dedicated to preventing future incidence of CSV, supporting the healing of CSV survivors and developing a stronger culture of justice and accountability that prioritizes the rights, needs and safety of survivors.
This survivor-centered approach starts with supporting children, adolescents and youth to develop a sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. It ends with strong, sustained policy mechanisms and stringent regulation and oversight that will keep public settings and private companies safe for children, including online environments.
The visioning process also identified the pathways and practical steps that we believe should be prioritized.
Having worked with over 330 actors from across the sector for more than 18 months, we know that a shared vision for the field is vital. Such a vision can show how the sector can begin to address the lack of resourcing, and make sure that the right emphasis is placed on longer-term work that addresses root causes. Most importantly, this vision shows what we can achieve by working together more coherently to combat the cultural taboos that keep this issue in the shadows.
Using the Three Horizons framework, To Zero’s visioning process allowed the sector to create a map of the field and a shared direction of travel. While consensus was not the primary outcome of the process, actors within the sector were united in seeking to create a safe and healthy world for children, adolescents and youth. In such a vision of society, healthy cultures will have effectively normalized conversations around CSV and removed the threat of sexual violence throughout the life course, starting in childhood. Strong systems of governance are dedicated to preventing future incidence of CSV, supporting the healing of CSV survivors and developing a stronger culture of justice and accountability that prioritizes the rights, needs and safety of survivors.
This survivor-centered approach starts with supporting children, adolescents and youth to develop a sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. It ends with strong, sustained policy mechanisms and stringent regulation and oversight that will keep public settings and private companies safe for children, including online environments.
The visioning process also identified the pathways and practical steps that we believe should be prioritized.
Galvanize around six critical themes
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors. In championing for long-term flexible funding for all stakeholders in the CSV field, it is crucial that an equity-based approach to resourcing is used to maintain strong and productive synergies among stakeholders both within and outside the sector.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. This includes shifting from a culture of silence to a culture of celebration for survivor disclosure and storytelling. It means viewing children as people with agency and autonomy, not as the property of their caretakers and communities. It sheds gender stereotypes to embrace diversity and inclusion, supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn. As children’s identity development continues to straddle online and offline public spaces, it is critical that the digital world is treated like other institutional spaces, with strong, coordinated regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance with safe design practices.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing. To effectively cultivate political leaders as champions to end CSV, broad movements and targeted campaigns will need survivor leaders, parents and youth to be trained as effective advocates and to use the power of personal testimony to move decision makers into taking action.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. This means building on our narrow evidence base to ensure that interventions are centered on multiple outcomes that have a systematic and intersectional scope. Locally developed solutions are designed to be scaled and inclusive of groups that have limited inclusion in research studies. This will enhance the breadth and depth of our sector’s knowledge.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective. All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations in this area should be fully and consistently enforced. There is a lot of good work happening in this area, but there is room for improvement. For example, justice systems can reform to become more survivor and child focused, sensitive to trauma and contributors to healing.
Galvanize around six critical themes
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors. In championing for long-term flexible funding for all stakeholders in the CSV field, it is crucial that an equity-based approach to resourcing is used to maintain strong and productive synergies among stakeholders both within and outside the sector.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. This includes shifting from a culture of silence to a culture of celebration for survivor disclosure and storytelling. It means viewing children as people with agency and autonomy, not as the property of their caretakers and communities. It sheds gender stereotypes to embrace diversity and inclusion, supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn. As children’s identity development continues to straddle online and offline public spaces, it is critical that the digital world is treated like other institutional spaces, with strong, coordinated regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance with safe design practices.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing. To effectively cultivate political leaders as champions to end CSV, broad movements and targeted campaigns will need survivor leaders, parents and youth to be trained as effective advocates and to use the power of personal testimony to move decision makers into taking action.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. This means building on our narrow evidence base to ensure that interventions are centered on multiple outcomes that have a systematic and intersectional scope. Locally developed solutions are designed to be scaled and inclusive of groups that have limited inclusion in research studies. This will enhance the breadth and depth of our sector’s knowledge.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective. All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations in this area should be fully and consistently enforced. There is a lot of good work happening in this area, but there is room for improvement. For example, justice systems can reform to become more survivor and child focused, sensitive to trauma and contributors to healing.
Galvanize around six critical themes
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors. In championing for long-term flexible funding for all stakeholders in the CSV field, it is crucial that an equity-based approach to resourcing is used to maintain strong and productive synergies among stakeholders both within and outside the sector.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. This includes shifting from a culture of silence to a culture of celebration for survivor disclosure and storytelling. It means viewing children as people with agency and autonomy, not as the property of their caretakers and communities. It sheds gender stereotypes to embrace diversity and inclusion, supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn. As children’s identity development continues to straddle online and offline public spaces, it is critical that the digital world is treated like other institutional spaces, with strong, coordinated regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance with safe design practices.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing. To effectively cultivate political leaders as champions to end CSV, broad movements and targeted campaigns will need survivor leaders, parents and youth to be trained as effective advocates and to use the power of personal testimony to move decision makers into taking action.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. This means building on our narrow evidence base to ensure that interventions are centered on multiple outcomes that have a systematic and intersectional scope. Locally developed solutions are designed to be scaled and inclusive of groups that have limited inclusion in research studies. This will enhance the breadth and depth of our sector’s knowledge.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective. All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations in this area should be fully and consistently enforced. There is a lot of good work happening in this area, but there is room for improvement. For example, justice systems can reform to become more survivor and child focused, sensitive to trauma and contributors to healing.
Galvanize around six critical themes
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors. In championing for long-term flexible funding for all stakeholders in the CSV field, it is crucial that an equity-based approach to resourcing is used to maintain strong and productive synergies among stakeholders both within and outside the sector.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background. This includes shifting from a culture of silence to a culture of celebration for survivor disclosure and storytelling. It means viewing children as people with agency and autonomy, not as the property of their caretakers and communities. It sheds gender stereotypes to embrace diversity and inclusion, supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn. As children’s identity development continues to straddle online and offline public spaces, it is critical that the digital world is treated like other institutional spaces, with strong, coordinated regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance with safe design practices.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing. To effectively cultivate political leaders as champions to end CSV, broad movements and targeted campaigns will need survivor leaders, parents and youth to be trained as effective advocates and to use the power of personal testimony to move decision makers into taking action.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale. This means building on our narrow evidence base to ensure that interventions are centered on multiple outcomes that have a systematic and intersectional scope. Locally developed solutions are designed to be scaled and inclusive of groups that have limited inclusion in research studies. This will enhance the breadth and depth of our sector’s knowledge.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective. All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations in this area should be fully and consistently enforced. There is a lot of good work happening in this area, but there is room for improvement. For example, justice systems can reform to become more survivor and child focused, sensitive to trauma and contributors to healing.
330+
stakeholders have united for the first time ever to create a global vision to end childhood sexual violence quicker and a roadmap that charts the journey ahead.
330+
stakeholders have united for the first time ever to create a global vision to end childhood sexual violence quicker and a roadmap that charts the journey ahead.
330+
stakeholders have united for the first time ever to create a global vision to end childhood sexual violence quicker and a roadmap that charts the journey ahead.
330+
stakeholders have united for the first time ever to create a global vision to end childhood sexual violence quicker and a roadmap that charts the journey ahead.
Accelerate progress on these six critical themes with proposed Action Accelerators
These are eight concrete examples of actions that, if pursued together by the sector, can deliver real change and accelerate us towards our longer-term goals that will focus on the potential for transformative change in the next five years. Each has a clear windows of opportunity, organizations and people ready and willing to work at scale, and the potential to achieve transformative change.
Transform the narratives around childhood sexual violence by ending the culture of silence and centering prevention.
Galvanize political activism, centering survivors, parents/caregivers, and young people.
Pressure and incentivize institutions to protect children, mitigate harm, and promote prevention, healing and justice.
Support justice systems that center children and survivors, end impunity for adult perpetrators, and promote prevention and healing.
Pressure and incentivize the tech industry to create safe digital spaces for children.
Enhance strategies to prevent peer-on-peer abuse and other problematic sexual behavior among adolescents and children.
Strengthen the evidence base on childhood sexual violence, including strategies to end it and measures to track progress.
Reshape the funding landscape for childhood sexual violence action, including through stronger advocacy, greater ambition, wider distribution and more money.
Accelerate progress on these six critical themes with proposed Action Accelerators
These are eight concrete examples of actions that, if pursued together by the sector, can deliver real change and accelerate us towards our longer-term goals that will focus on the potential for transformative change in the next five years. Each has a clear windows of opportunity, organizations and people ready and willing to work at scale, and the potential to achieve transformative change.
Transform the narratives around childhood sexual violence by ending the culture of silence and centering prevention.
Galvanize political activism, centering survivors, parents/caregivers, and young people.
Pressure and incentivize institutions to protect children, mitigate harm, and promote prevention, healing and justice.
Support justice systems that center children and survivors, end impunity for adult perpetrators, and promote prevention and healing.
Pressure and incentivize the tech industry to create safe digital spaces for children.
Enhance strategies to prevent peer-on-peer abuse and other problematic sexual behavior among adolescents and children.
Strengthen the evidence base on childhood sexual violence, including strategies to end it and measures to track progress.
Reshape the funding landscape for childhood sexual violence action, including through stronger advocacy, greater ambition, wider distribution and more money.
Accelerate progress on these six critical themes with proposed Action Accelerators
These are eight concrete examples of actions that, if pursued together by the sector, can deliver real change and accelerate us towards our longer-term goals that will focus on the potential for transformative change in the next five years. Each has a clear windows of opportunity, organizations and people ready and willing to work at scale, and the potential to achieve transformative change.
Transform the narratives around childhood sexual violence by ending the culture of silence and centering prevention.
Galvanize political activism, centering survivors, parents/caregivers, and young people.
Pressure and incentivize institutions to protect children, mitigate harm, and promote prevention, healing and justice.
Support justice systems that center children and survivors, end impunity for adult perpetrators, and promote prevention and healing.
Pressure and incentivize the tech industry to create safe digital spaces for children.
Enhance strategies to prevent peer-on-peer abuse and other problematic sexual behavior among adolescents and children.
Strengthen the evidence base on childhood sexual violence, including strategies to end it and measures to track progress.
Reshape the funding landscape for childhood sexual violence action, including through stronger advocacy, greater ambition, wider distribution and more money.
Accelerate progress on these six critical themes with proposed Action Accelerators
These are eight concrete examples of actions that, if pursued together by the sector, can deliver real change and accelerate us towards our longer-term goals that will focus on the potential for transformative change in the next five years. Each has a clear windows of opportunity, organizations and people ready and willing to work at scale, and the potential to achieve transformative change.
Transform the narratives around childhood sexual violence by ending the culture of silence and centering prevention.
Galvanize political activism, centering survivors, parents/caregivers, and young people.
Pressure and incentivize institutions to protect children, mitigate harm, and promote prevention, healing and justice.
Support justice systems that center children and survivors, end impunity for adult perpetrators, and promote prevention and healing.
Pressure and incentivize the tech industry to create safe digital spaces for children.
Enhance strategies to prevent peer-on-peer abuse and other problematic sexual behavior among adolescents and children.
Strengthen the evidence base on childhood sexual violence, including strategies to end it and measures to track progress.
Reshape the funding landscape for childhood sexual violence action, including through stronger advocacy, greater ambition, wider distribution and more money.
Strengthen the field
During our visioning process, stakeholders were asked what was required to realize this collective vision and roadmap. Repeatedly, they expressed the view that we should scale what works now and explore what could work in the future. They also noted that work in this sector relies on investment in the work of individual leaders and civil society organizations and capacity building through specialist training and leadership development. Additionally, strengthening our field’s collaborative infrastructure and campaigning skills to drive narrative change are required to facilitate movement building processes. Finally, there is a need to intensify commitment to addressing root causes of CSV, such as power, profit and intergenerational violence.
Strengthen the field
During our visioning process, stakeholders were asked what was required to realize this collective vision and roadmap. Repeatedly, they expressed the view that we should scale what works now and explore what could work in the future. They also noted that work in this sector relies on investment in the work of individual leaders and civil society organizations and capacity building through specialist training and leadership development. Additionally, strengthening our field’s collaborative infrastructure and campaigning skills to drive narrative change are required to facilitate movement building processes. Finally, there is a need to intensify commitment to addressing root causes of CSV, such as power, profit and intergenerational violence.
Strengthen the field
During our visioning process, stakeholders were asked what was required to realize this collective vision and roadmap. Repeatedly, they expressed the view that we should scale what works now and explore what could work in the future. They also noted that work in this sector relies on investment in the work of individual leaders and civil society organizations and capacity building through specialist training and leadership development. Additionally, strengthening our field’s collaborative infrastructure and campaigning skills to drive narrative change are required to facilitate movement building processes. Finally, there is a need to intensify commitment to addressing root causes of CSV, such as power, profit and intergenerational violence.
Strengthen the field
During our visioning process, stakeholders were asked what was required to realize this collective vision and roadmap. Repeatedly, they expressed the view that we should scale what works now and explore what could work in the future. They also noted that work in this sector relies on investment in the work of individual leaders and civil society organizations and capacity building through specialist training and leadership development. Additionally, strengthening our field’s collaborative infrastructure and campaigning skills to drive narrative change are required to facilitate movement building processes. Finally, there is a need to intensify commitment to addressing root causes of CSV, such as power, profit and intergenerational violence.
A call to action
We know that a vision and a roadmap on their own won’t change the landscape. What we need now is commitment. Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities. Public and private institutions also have a role to play – particularly in the technology sector, which holds real power in child and adolescent lives. Additionally, private donors will be a critical source of catalytic funding needed to build the field and accelerate change.
We need media and other stakeholders to keep spreading awareness of both the scale of the challenge and the amazing work happening right now to address it. They will be pivotal to helping the broader community shape the public narrative and accelerate the discovery of good practice. And although To Zero is designed as a timebound initiative, we are committed to playing our part in long-term shifts.
We will continue to work in two key areas:
Strengthening relationships among actors in the field.
Fostering powerful communication, storytelling and on-going learning.
Join us. Together, we can make our world a safer, more joyful place for children.
A call to action
We know that a vision and a roadmap on their own won’t change the landscape. What we need now is commitment. Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities. Public and private institutions also have a role to play – particularly in the technology sector, which holds real power in child and adolescent lives. Additionally, private donors will be a critical source of catalytic funding needed to build the field and accelerate change.
We need media and other stakeholders to keep spreading awareness of both the scale of the challenge and the amazing work happening right now to address it. They will be pivotal to helping the broader community shape the public narrative and accelerate the discovery of good practice. And although To Zero is designed as a timebound initiative, we are committed to playing our part in long-term shifts.
We will continue to work in two key areas:
Strengthening relationships among actors in the field.
Fostering powerful communication, storytelling and on-going learning.
Join us. Together, we can make our world a safer, more joyful place for children.
A call to action
We know that a vision and a roadmap on their own won’t change the landscape. What we need now is commitment. Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities. Public and private institutions also have a role to play – particularly in the technology sector, which holds real power in child and adolescent lives. Additionally, private donors will be a critical source of catalytic funding needed to build the field and accelerate change.
We need media and other stakeholders to keep spreading awareness of both the scale of the challenge and the amazing work happening right now to address it. They will be pivotal to helping the broader community shape the public narrative and accelerate the discovery of good practice. And although To Zero is designed as a timebound initiative, we are committed to playing our part in long-term shifts.
We will continue to work in two key areas:
Strengthening relationships among actors in the field.
Fostering powerful communication, storytelling and on-going learning.
Join us. Together, we can make our world a safer, more joyful place for children.
A call to action
We know that a vision and a roadmap on their own won’t change the landscape. What we need now is commitment. Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities. Public and private institutions also have a role to play – particularly in the technology sector, which holds real power in child and adolescent lives. Additionally, private donors will be a critical source of catalytic funding needed to build the field and accelerate change.
We need media and other stakeholders to keep spreading awareness of both the scale of the challenge and the amazing work happening right now to address it. They will be pivotal to helping the broader community shape the public narrative and accelerate the discovery of good practice. And although To Zero is designed as a timebound initiative, we are committed to playing our part in long-term shifts.
We will continue to work in two key areas:
Strengthening relationships among actors in the field.
Fostering powerful communication, storytelling and on-going learning.
Join us. Together, we can make our world a safer, more joyful place for children.
Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities.
Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities.
Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities.
Government at all levels must do all it can to protect communities.
Introduction
A deeply passionate and diverse community
All of us in our sector are committed to the goal of ending childhood sexual violence (CSV). We know that it is preventable and that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
To Zero was created to help the sector align around a shared vision of that future, to understand the barriers that frustrate progress and to help break them down. After spending eighteen months engaged with actors across the sector, we know that – working together – it is possible to end childhood sexual violence. And there is a determination to make it happen.
A deeply passionate and diverse community
All of us in our sector are committed to the goal of ending childhood sexual violence (CSV). We know that it is preventable and that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
To Zero was created to help the sector align around a shared vision of that future, to understand the barriers that frustrate progress and to help break them down. After spending eighteen months engaged with actors across the sector, we know that – working together – it is possible to end childhood sexual violence. And there is a determination to make it happen.
A deeply passionate and diverse community
All of us in our sector are committed to the goal of ending childhood sexual violence (CSV). We know that it is preventable and that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
To Zero was created to help the sector align around a shared vision of that future, to understand the barriers that frustrate progress and to help break them down. After spending eighteen months engaged with actors across the sector, we know that – working together – it is possible to end childhood sexual violence. And there is a determination to make it happen.
A deeply passionate and diverse community
All of us in our sector are committed to the goal of ending childhood sexual violence (CSV). We know that it is preventable and that practical, scalable solutions exist that can break the cycle of child abuse.
To Zero was created to help the sector align around a shared vision of that future, to understand the barriers that frustrate progress and to help break them down. After spending eighteen months engaged with actors across the sector, we know that – working together – it is possible to end childhood sexual violence. And there is a determination to make it happen.




Aligning around a shared vision
To Zero has worked primarily with civil society organizations, to strengthen shared purpose and identity in the sector and to align around more effective, and better supported, collaborative action.
This report is written with a particular focus on those organizations and associated practitioners – as a view of the field seen from within the field. It offers a vision, a road map and an invitation: to innovate, to learn from each other and to find new ways to work together more effectively to harness a collective power to achieve lasting change.
Clearly, given the complexity of the issues involved, civil society organizations alone cannot end childhood sexual violence. Other powerful actors need to play their part, in common with all of us as concerned citizens supportive of children’s wellbeing. This report is for those audiences too.
We acknowledge the deeper structural and societal forces in play. Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence. The most obvious is the shame and stigma placed on survivors of CSV, which protects adult perpetrators at the expense of children’s wellbeing. Other sociocultural factors, such as negative gender norms, patriarchy and adultism, tell survivors to carry their experiences silently. All of this feeds into the belief that childhood sexual violence is inevitable – a view we’re here to challenge.
Aligning around a shared vision
To Zero has worked primarily with civil society organizations, to strengthen shared purpose and identity in the sector and to align around more effective, and better supported, collaborative action.
This report is written with a particular focus on those organizations and associated practitioners – as a view of the field seen from within the field. It offers a vision, a road map and an invitation: to innovate, to learn from each other and to find new ways to work together more effectively to harness a collective power to achieve lasting change.
Clearly, given the complexity of the issues involved, civil society organizations alone cannot end childhood sexual violence. Other powerful actors need to play their part, in common with all of us as concerned citizens supportive of children’s wellbeing. This report is for those audiences too.
We acknowledge the deeper structural and societal forces in play. Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence. The most obvious is the shame and stigma placed on survivors of CSV, which protects adult perpetrators at the expense of children’s wellbeing. Other sociocultural factors, such as negative gender norms, patriarchy and adultism, tell survivors to carry their experiences silently. All of this feeds into the belief that childhood sexual violence is inevitable – a view we’re here to challenge.
Aligning around a shared vision
To Zero has worked primarily with civil society organizations, to strengthen shared purpose and identity in the sector and to align around more effective, and better supported, collaborative action.
This report is written with a particular focus on those organizations and associated practitioners – as a view of the field seen from within the field. It offers a vision, a road map and an invitation: to innovate, to learn from each other and to find new ways to work together more effectively to harness a collective power to achieve lasting change.
Clearly, given the complexity of the issues involved, civil society organizations alone cannot end childhood sexual violence. Other powerful actors need to play their part, in common with all of us as concerned citizens supportive of children’s wellbeing. This report is for those audiences too.
We acknowledge the deeper structural and societal forces in play. Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence. The most obvious is the shame and stigma placed on survivors of CSV, which protects adult perpetrators at the expense of children’s wellbeing. Other sociocultural factors, such as negative gender norms, patriarchy and adultism, tell survivors to carry their experiences silently. All of this feeds into the belief that childhood sexual violence is inevitable – a view we’re here to challenge.
Aligning around a shared vision
To Zero has worked primarily with civil society organizations, to strengthen shared purpose and identity in the sector and to align around more effective, and better supported, collaborative action.
This report is written with a particular focus on those organizations and associated practitioners – as a view of the field seen from within the field. It offers a vision, a road map and an invitation: to innovate, to learn from each other and to find new ways to work together more effectively to harness a collective power to achieve lasting change.
Clearly, given the complexity of the issues involved, civil society organizations alone cannot end childhood sexual violence. Other powerful actors need to play their part, in common with all of us as concerned citizens supportive of children’s wellbeing. This report is for those audiences too.
We acknowledge the deeper structural and societal forces in play. Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence. The most obvious is the shame and stigma placed on survivors of CSV, which protects adult perpetrators at the expense of children’s wellbeing. Other sociocultural factors, such as negative gender norms, patriarchy and adultism, tell survivors to carry their experiences silently. All of this feeds into the belief that childhood sexual violence is inevitable – a view we’re here to challenge.
Unlocking sustained funding
Within the sector dedicated to ending childhood sexual violence we find individuals and organizations across the world already doing brilliant work. However, more resources are needed to enable stronger action. There is limited public funding to support organizations’ work and a lack of flexible, private funding to support innovation and further global, intersectional progress. There is a particular need for more support for work on prevention.
The resource challenge is magnified by a lack of political will, with governments and decision-makers reluctant to commit the long-term resources and funding needed. Societal change is hard to measure within a typical electoral term. This makes governments less willing to tackle the issue – even though voters and officials across the political spectrum almost unanimously agree it must end. Politicians may feel that how to end CSV is too unclear and hard to track. But we increasingly know what works and what doesn’t, and on that basis can offer them the confidence to convert their concern into action.
Unlocking sustained funding
Within the sector dedicated to ending childhood sexual violence we find individuals and organizations across the world already doing brilliant work. However, more resources are needed to enable stronger action. There is limited public funding to support organizations’ work and a lack of flexible, private funding to support innovation and further global, intersectional progress. There is a particular need for more support for work on prevention.
The resource challenge is magnified by a lack of political will, with governments and decision-makers reluctant to commit the long-term resources and funding needed. Societal change is hard to measure within a typical electoral term. This makes governments less willing to tackle the issue – even though voters and officials across the political spectrum almost unanimously agree it must end. Politicians may feel that how to end CSV is too unclear and hard to track. But we increasingly know what works and what doesn’t, and on that basis can offer them the confidence to convert their concern into action.
Unlocking sustained funding
Within the sector dedicated to ending childhood sexual violence we find individuals and organizations across the world already doing brilliant work. However, more resources are needed to enable stronger action. There is limited public funding to support organizations’ work and a lack of flexible, private funding to support innovation and further global, intersectional progress. There is a particular need for more support for work on prevention.
The resource challenge is magnified by a lack of political will, with governments and decision-makers reluctant to commit the long-term resources and funding needed. Societal change is hard to measure within a typical electoral term. This makes governments less willing to tackle the issue – even though voters and officials across the political spectrum almost unanimously agree it must end. Politicians may feel that how to end CSV is too unclear and hard to track. But we increasingly know what works and what doesn’t, and on that basis can offer them the confidence to convert their concern into action.
Unlocking sustained funding
Within the sector dedicated to ending childhood sexual violence we find individuals and organizations across the world already doing brilliant work. However, more resources are needed to enable stronger action. There is limited public funding to support organizations’ work and a lack of flexible, private funding to support innovation and further global, intersectional progress. There is a particular need for more support for work on prevention.
The resource challenge is magnified by a lack of political will, with governments and decision-makers reluctant to commit the long-term resources and funding needed. Societal change is hard to measure within a typical electoral term. This makes governments less willing to tackle the issue – even though voters and officials across the political spectrum almost unanimously agree it must end. Politicians may feel that how to end CSV is too unclear and hard to track. But we increasingly know what works and what doesn’t, and on that basis can offer them the confidence to convert their concern into action.
A window of opportunity for action
Actors in the field are making exciting progress and many feel hopeful about what they can achieve. Survivors have long been seen as powerful leaders, illuminating the personal impact of CSV and fighting for a future without it. Together with other stakeholders, they have leveraged movements and conversations around childhood mental health, racial justice and women’s rights to show we can challenge inequalities, injustices and abuse that often seem like unfortunate, but inevitable, facts of human society.
Society is shifting. The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children which took place in Bogotá, Colombia in November 2024, represented a significant moment: demonstrating rising global awareness of the challenge and a new, global commitment to re-imagine a world safe for all children.
Whilst acknowledging that we still have a long way to go, there are many reasons to feel positive and hopeful about our sector’s collective power to end CSV:
Organizations across the sector want to find ways to work more effectively together.
There’s increasing awareness of CSV across other sectors, such as education, climate, health, justice and technology, opening avenues for collaboration.
We have better evidence on effective interventions to end childhood sexual violence, particularly around the following:
strategies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs);
prevention of online sexual violence;
prevention of abuse behaviors;
emerging prevalence rates of CSV against boys and girls; and
specific circumstances of children with disabilities, or those living in or fleeing from conflict zones.
The sector has also made great progress in showing how evidence supports real-world actions, using it to galvanize national decision-makers and mobilize donors to support effective work.
Attention has shifted to focus on the dynamics of scaling interventions and building research infrastructure to support current and future work in more sustainable ways.
The potential of this moment, and the moral imperative to stop childhood sexual violence, is what drives us at To Zero.
A window of opportunity for action
Actors in the field are making exciting progress and many feel hopeful about what they can achieve. Survivors have long been seen as powerful leaders, illuminating the personal impact of CSV and fighting for a future without it. Together with other stakeholders, they have leveraged movements and conversations around childhood mental health, racial justice and women’s rights to show we can challenge inequalities, injustices and abuse that often seem like unfortunate, but inevitable, facts of human society.
Society is shifting. The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children which took place in Bogotá, Colombia in November 2024, represented a significant moment: demonstrating rising global awareness of the challenge and a new, global commitment to re-imagine a world safe for all children.
Whilst acknowledging that we still have a long way to go, there are many reasons to feel positive and hopeful about our sector’s collective power to end CSV:
Organizations across the sector want to find ways to work more effectively together.
There’s increasing awareness of CSV across other sectors, such as education, climate, health, justice and technology, opening avenues for collaboration.
We have better evidence on effective interventions to end childhood sexual violence, particularly around the following:
strategies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs);
prevention of online sexual violence;
prevention of abuse behaviors;
emerging prevalence rates of CSV against boys and girls; and
specific circumstances of children with disabilities, or those living in or fleeing from conflict zones.
The sector has also made great progress in showing how evidence supports real-world actions, using it to galvanize national decision-makers and mobilize donors to support effective work.
Attention has shifted to focus on the dynamics of scaling interventions and building research infrastructure to support current and future work in more sustainable ways.
The potential of this moment, and the moral imperative to stop childhood sexual violence, is what drives us at To Zero.
A window of opportunity for action
Actors in the field are making exciting progress and many feel hopeful about what they can achieve. Survivors have long been seen as powerful leaders, illuminating the personal impact of CSV and fighting for a future without it. Together with other stakeholders, they have leveraged movements and conversations around childhood mental health, racial justice and women’s rights to show we can challenge inequalities, injustices and abuse that often seem like unfortunate, but inevitable, facts of human society.
Society is shifting. The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children which took place in Bogotá, Colombia in November 2024, represented a significant moment: demonstrating rising global awareness of the challenge and a new, global commitment to re-imagine a world safe for all children.
Whilst acknowledging that we still have a long way to go, there are many reasons to feel positive and hopeful about our sector’s collective power to end CSV:
Organizations across the sector want to find ways to work more effectively together.
There’s increasing awareness of CSV across other sectors, such as education, climate, health, justice and technology, opening avenues for collaboration.
We have better evidence on effective interventions to end childhood sexual violence, particularly around the following:
strategies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs);
prevention of online sexual violence;
prevention of abuse behaviors;
emerging prevalence rates of CSV against boys and girls; and
specific circumstances of children with disabilities, or those living in or fleeing from conflict zones.
The sector has also made great progress in showing how evidence supports real-world actions, using it to galvanize national decision-makers and mobilize donors to support effective work.
Attention has shifted to focus on the dynamics of scaling interventions and building research infrastructure to support current and future work in more sustainable ways.
The potential of this moment, and the moral imperative to stop childhood sexual violence, is what drives us at To Zero.
A window of opportunity for action
Actors in the field are making exciting progress and many feel hopeful about what they can achieve. Survivors have long been seen as powerful leaders, illuminating the personal impact of CSV and fighting for a future without it. Together with other stakeholders, they have leveraged movements and conversations around childhood mental health, racial justice and women’s rights to show we can challenge inequalities, injustices and abuse that often seem like unfortunate, but inevitable, facts of human society.
Society is shifting. The first-ever Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children which took place in Bogotá, Colombia in November 2024, represented a significant moment: demonstrating rising global awareness of the challenge and a new, global commitment to re-imagine a world safe for all children.
Whilst acknowledging that we still have a long way to go, there are many reasons to feel positive and hopeful about our sector’s collective power to end CSV:
Organizations across the sector want to find ways to work more effectively together.
There’s increasing awareness of CSV across other sectors, such as education, climate, health, justice and technology, opening avenues for collaboration.
We have better evidence on effective interventions to end childhood sexual violence, particularly around the following:
strategies for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs);
prevention of online sexual violence;
prevention of abuse behaviors;
emerging prevalence rates of CSV against boys and girls; and
specific circumstances of children with disabilities, or those living in or fleeing from conflict zones.
The sector has also made great progress in showing how evidence supports real-world actions, using it to galvanize national decision-makers and mobilize donors to support effective work.
Attention has shifted to focus on the dynamics of scaling interventions and building research infrastructure to support current and future work in more sustainable ways.
The potential of this moment, and the moral imperative to stop childhood sexual violence, is what drives us at To Zero.
Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence.
Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence.
Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence.
Across almost all cultures, entrenched social and cultural norms often serve to facilitate childhood sexual violence.
What is To Zero?
To Zero began in 2022 as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue: ending CSV. We want to support the people who are already making a difference and inspire advocates, funders, and decision-makers to accelerate the pace of progress.
We set out to capture perspectives from within the field on the pathways to follow to reach a future free from childhood sexual violence. Our purpose was to hear from many different groups around the world, including but not limited to:
civil society leaders and organizations;
researchers;
advocates and activists;
representatives from non-profit organizations; and
leading coalitions and networks dedicated to preventing and responding to childhood sexual violence.
Through these converstions we built a roadmap for action, fostering collaborative cross-sector relationships to align our sector around a visionary shared goal. We have focused on research and development, analyzing current literature on approaches and beliefs and seeking key stakeholder insights to better understand which actions have the greatest potential for lasting change.
Our initial state of play report, Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence, reviewed historical and current evidence from across the sector to date. Its goal was to make sure everyone invested in ending childhood sexual violence has access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges.
That report is deeply researched and includes over 50 critical references. It should be read as the source document for the evidence-based analysis described in this report.
Underpinning the report is a simple theory of change, widely adopted in the field: evidence of the problem and of effective responses will grow political will and donor funding, which will in turn drive more and better action. If we also pay attention to capacity to deliver, this action will generate more real-world impact and evidence of success.
This second and final report presents the work that followed on the basis of this earlier research. It is the culmination of eighteen months of collective visioning synthesized from the views of over 330 stakeholders from around the world in the sector to end childhood sexual violence. Here we set out the critical areas of focus and the steps we can all take to help make our ambition a reality.
To Zero began in 2022 as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue: ending CSV. We want to support the people who are already making a difference and inspire advocates, funders, and decision-makers to accelerate the pace of progress.
We set out to capture perspectives from within the field on the pathways to follow to reach a future free from childhood sexual violence. Our purpose was to hear from many different groups around the world, including but not limited to:
civil society leaders and organizations;
researchers;
advocates and activists;
representatives from non-profit organizations; and
leading coalitions and networks dedicated to preventing and responding to childhood sexual violence.
Through these converstions we built a roadmap for action, fostering collaborative cross-sector relationships to align our sector around a visionary shared goal. We have focused on research and development, analyzing current literature on approaches and beliefs and seeking key stakeholder insights to better understand which actions have the greatest potential for lasting change.
Our initial state of play report, Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence, reviewed historical and current evidence from across the sector to date. Its goal was to make sure everyone invested in ending childhood sexual violence has access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges.
That report is deeply researched and includes over 50 critical references. It should be read as the source document for the evidence-based analysis described in this report.
Underpinning the report is a simple theory of change, widely adopted in the field: evidence of the problem and of effective responses will grow political will and donor funding, which will in turn drive more and better action. If we also pay attention to capacity to deliver, this action will generate more real-world impact and evidence of success.
This second and final report presents the work that followed on the basis of this earlier research. It is the culmination of eighteen months of collective visioning synthesized from the views of over 330 stakeholders from around the world in the sector to end childhood sexual violence. Here we set out the critical areas of focus and the steps we can all take to help make our ambition a reality.
To Zero began in 2022 as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue: ending CSV. We want to support the people who are already making a difference and inspire advocates, funders, and decision-makers to accelerate the pace of progress.
We set out to capture perspectives from within the field on the pathways to follow to reach a future free from childhood sexual violence. Our purpose was to hear from many different groups around the world, including but not limited to:
civil society leaders and organizations;
researchers;
advocates and activists;
representatives from non-profit organizations; and
leading coalitions and networks dedicated to preventing and responding to childhood sexual violence.
Through these converstions we built a roadmap for action, fostering collaborative cross-sector relationships to align our sector around a visionary shared goal. We have focused on research and development, analyzing current literature on approaches and beliefs and seeking key stakeholder insights to better understand which actions have the greatest potential for lasting change.
Our initial state of play report, Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence, reviewed historical and current evidence from across the sector to date. Its goal was to make sure everyone invested in ending childhood sexual violence has access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges.
That report is deeply researched and includes over 50 critical references. It should be read as the source document for the evidence-based analysis described in this report.
Underpinning the report is a simple theory of change, widely adopted in the field: evidence of the problem and of effective responses will grow political will and donor funding, which will in turn drive more and better action. If we also pay attention to capacity to deliver, this action will generate more real-world impact and evidence of success.
This second and final report presents the work that followed on the basis of this earlier research. It is the culmination of eighteen months of collective visioning synthesized from the views of over 330 stakeholders from around the world in the sector to end childhood sexual violence. Here we set out the critical areas of focus and the steps we can all take to help make our ambition a reality.
To Zero began in 2022 as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue: ending CSV. We want to support the people who are already making a difference and inspire advocates, funders, and decision-makers to accelerate the pace of progress.
We set out to capture perspectives from within the field on the pathways to follow to reach a future free from childhood sexual violence. Our purpose was to hear from many different groups around the world, including but not limited to:
civil society leaders and organizations;
researchers;
advocates and activists;
representatives from non-profit organizations; and
leading coalitions and networks dedicated to preventing and responding to childhood sexual violence.
Through these converstions we built a roadmap for action, fostering collaborative cross-sector relationships to align our sector around a visionary shared goal. We have focused on research and development, analyzing current literature on approaches and beliefs and seeking key stakeholder insights to better understand which actions have the greatest potential for lasting change.
Our initial state of play report, Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence, reviewed historical and current evidence from across the sector to date. Its goal was to make sure everyone invested in ending childhood sexual violence has access to the most relevant frameworks and information on promising developments and persistent challenges.
That report is deeply researched and includes over 50 critical references. It should be read as the source document for the evidence-based analysis described in this report.
Underpinning the report is a simple theory of change, widely adopted in the field: evidence of the problem and of effective responses will grow political will and donor funding, which will in turn drive more and better action. If we also pay attention to capacity to deliver, this action will generate more real-world impact and evidence of success.
This second and final report presents the work that followed on the basis of this earlier research. It is the culmination of eighteen months of collective visioning synthesized from the views of over 330 stakeholders from around the world in the sector to end childhood sexual violence. Here we set out the critical areas of focus and the steps we can all take to help make our ambition a reality.
Our approach makes us unique
To make sure our vision and action plan truly draw on a deep understanding of our sector’s challenges, we’ve been guided by leaders from different areas of expertize including many practitioners. Many have decades of experience and are survivors themselves (whether disclosed or not), helping us keep their voices at the heart of our work.
Overall, we have taken a multi-faceted approach built upon three key factors:
Insights from sector leaders from a multitude of settings across the globe.
A visioning process to map the landscape based on the Three Horizons framework.
Pathways to drive long-term change and action accelerators to focus short-term effort for transformative impact.
Our approach makes us unique
To make sure our vision and action plan truly draw on a deep understanding of our sector’s challenges, we’ve been guided by leaders from different areas of expertize including many practitioners. Many have decades of experience and are survivors themselves (whether disclosed or not), helping us keep their voices at the heart of our work.
Overall, we have taken a multi-faceted approach built upon three key factors:
Insights from sector leaders from a multitude of settings across the globe.
A visioning process to map the landscape based on the Three Horizons framework.
Pathways to drive long-term change and action accelerators to focus short-term effort for transformative impact.
Our approach makes us unique
To make sure our vision and action plan truly draw on a deep understanding of our sector’s challenges, we’ve been guided by leaders from different areas of expertize including many practitioners. Many have decades of experience and are survivors themselves (whether disclosed or not), helping us keep their voices at the heart of our work.
Overall, we have taken a multi-faceted approach built upon three key factors:
Insights from sector leaders from a multitude of settings across the globe.
A visioning process to map the landscape based on the Three Horizons framework.
Pathways to drive long-term change and action accelerators to focus short-term effort for transformative impact.
Our approach makes us unique
To make sure our vision and action plan truly draw on a deep understanding of our sector’s challenges, we’ve been guided by leaders from different areas of expertize including many practitioners. Many have decades of experience and are survivors themselves (whether disclosed or not), helping us keep their voices at the heart of our work.
Overall, we have taken a multi-faceted approach built upon three key factors:
Insights from sector leaders from a multitude of settings across the globe.
A visioning process to map the landscape based on the Three Horizons framework.
Pathways to drive long-term change and action accelerators to focus short-term effort for transformative impact.
The visioning process
Our visioning process used the Three Horizons framework as a clear structure around which to build a detailed picture of the childhood sexual violence landscape viewed from within the field.
Overseen by an experienced practitioner, several groups of stakeholders (identified below) were invited to describe their own view of the evolving landscape in terms of:
Concerns – Worries about present systems, including why current actions are not making as large or as fast an impact as we would wish.
Innovations – Programs, initiatives or ideas that are being implemented or considered to improve progress.
Sources of hope – Individual and collective aspirations for the future, and signs of hope in the present that they can be realized in practice.
These inclusive, productive conversations reveal a shared sense of the territory - both hopes and concerns, a firm direction of travel, and a much clearer picture of what stakeholders say they need to achieve their long- and short-term goals.
The visioning process
Our visioning process used the Three Horizons framework as a clear structure around which to build a detailed picture of the childhood sexual violence landscape viewed from within the field.
Overseen by an experienced practitioner, several groups of stakeholders (identified below) were invited to describe their own view of the evolving landscape in terms of:
Concerns – Worries about present systems, including why current actions are not making as large or as fast an impact as we would wish.
Innovations – Programs, initiatives or ideas that are being implemented or considered to improve progress.
Sources of hope – Individual and collective aspirations for the future, and signs of hope in the present that they can be realized in practice.
These inclusive, productive conversations reveal a shared sense of the territory - both hopes and concerns, a firm direction of travel, and a much clearer picture of what stakeholders say they need to achieve their long- and short-term goals.
The visioning process
Our visioning process used the Three Horizons framework as a clear structure around which to build a detailed picture of the childhood sexual violence landscape viewed from within the field.
Overseen by an experienced practitioner, several groups of stakeholders (identified below) were invited to describe their own view of the evolving landscape in terms of:
Concerns – Worries about present systems, including why current actions are not making as large or as fast an impact as we would wish.
Innovations – Programs, initiatives or ideas that are being implemented or considered to improve progress.
Sources of hope – Individual and collective aspirations for the future, and signs of hope in the present that they can be realized in practice.
These inclusive, productive conversations reveal a shared sense of the territory - both hopes and concerns, a firm direction of travel, and a much clearer picture of what stakeholders say they need to achieve their long- and short-term goals.
The visioning process
Our visioning process used the Three Horizons framework as a clear structure around which to build a detailed picture of the childhood sexual violence landscape viewed from within the field.
Overseen by an experienced practitioner, several groups of stakeholders (identified below) were invited to describe their own view of the evolving landscape in terms of:
Concerns – Worries about present systems, including why current actions are not making as large or as fast an impact as we would wish.
Innovations – Programs, initiatives or ideas that are being implemented or considered to improve progress.
Sources of hope – Individual and collective aspirations for the future, and signs of hope in the present that they can be realized in practice.
These inclusive, productive conversations reveal a shared sense of the territory - both hopes and concerns, a firm direction of travel, and a much clearer picture of what stakeholders say they need to achieve their long- and short-term goals.
For more information on the the Three Horizons framework, visit www.iffpraxis.com/3h-approach
For more information on the the Three Horizons framework, visit www.iffpraxis.com/3h-approach
For more information on the the Three Horizons framework, visit www.iffpraxis.com/3h-approach
For more information on the the Three Horizons framework, visit www.iffpraxis.com/3h-approach
Diverse contributions
Two key groups informed our visioning process: a small Champions Group and a much larger Visioning Group, comprising a growing network of sector leaders and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and geographies.
Nine leaders from across the sector to end childhood sexual violence make up our Champions Group. Each brings a unique voice and perspective, as well as a deep understanding of challenges and opportunities within our sector.
The group met quarterly between May 2023 and October 2024. During this time, they helped us frame and develop key parts of our visioning process. That included the need, from the outset, to follow a recognized trauma-informed approach (we used a modified Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration approach), creating safer spaces while providing self and collective care to minimize triggers, and prevent re-traumatization during the process
Now that the visioning process is complete, our champions will continue to be vocal advocates for our vision.
Our larger Visioning Group is composed of actors reflecting a diverse cross-section of the global community impacted by childhood sexual violence, encompassing a range of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and sexualities. This diversity also includes areas of expertize spanning key focus areas such as Global South- and North-focused work, global and grassroots initiatives, and specific issues like online abuse, incest and child marriage.
Importantly, the Visioning Group also brought a range of attitudes regarding the project's goal, providing a balance of reasons for positivity and areas of concern. This diverse makeup ensured the visioning process was comprehensive, grounded and open to nuanced perspectives.
Diverse contributions
Two key groups informed our visioning process: a small Champions Group and a much larger Visioning Group, comprising a growing network of sector leaders and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and geographies.
Nine leaders from across the sector to end childhood sexual violence make up our Champions Group. Each brings a unique voice and perspective, as well as a deep understanding of challenges and opportunities within our sector.
The group met quarterly between May 2023 and October 2024. During this time, they helped us frame and develop key parts of our visioning process. That included the need, from the outset, to follow a recognized trauma-informed approach (we used a modified Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration approach), creating safer spaces while providing self and collective care to minimize triggers, and prevent re-traumatization during the process
Now that the visioning process is complete, our champions will continue to be vocal advocates for our vision.
Our larger Visioning Group is composed of actors reflecting a diverse cross-section of the global community impacted by childhood sexual violence, encompassing a range of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and sexualities. This diversity also includes areas of expertize spanning key focus areas such as Global South- and North-focused work, global and grassroots initiatives, and specific issues like online abuse, incest and child marriage.
Importantly, the Visioning Group also brought a range of attitudes regarding the project's goal, providing a balance of reasons for positivity and areas of concern. This diverse makeup ensured the visioning process was comprehensive, grounded and open to nuanced perspectives.
Diverse contributions
Two key groups informed our visioning process: a small Champions Group and a much larger Visioning Group, comprising a growing network of sector leaders and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and geographies.
Nine leaders from across the sector to end childhood sexual violence make up our Champions Group. Each brings a unique voice and perspective, as well as a deep understanding of challenges and opportunities within our sector.
The group met quarterly between May 2023 and October 2024. During this time, they helped us frame and develop key parts of our visioning process. That included the need, from the outset, to follow a recognized trauma-informed approach (we used a modified Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration approach), creating safer spaces while providing self and collective care to minimize triggers, and prevent re-traumatization during the process
Now that the visioning process is complete, our champions will continue to be vocal advocates for our vision.
Our larger Visioning Group is composed of actors reflecting a diverse cross-section of the global community impacted by childhood sexual violence, encompassing a range of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and sexualities. This diversity also includes areas of expertize spanning key focus areas such as Global South- and North-focused work, global and grassroots initiatives, and specific issues like online abuse, incest and child marriage.
Importantly, the Visioning Group also brought a range of attitudes regarding the project's goal, providing a balance of reasons for positivity and areas of concern. This diverse makeup ensured the visioning process was comprehensive, grounded and open to nuanced perspectives.
Diverse contributions
Two key groups informed our visioning process: a small Champions Group and a much larger Visioning Group, comprising a growing network of sector leaders and practitioners from a wide range of backgrounds, cultures and geographies.
Nine leaders from across the sector to end childhood sexual violence make up our Champions Group. Each brings a unique voice and perspective, as well as a deep understanding of challenges and opportunities within our sector.
The group met quarterly between May 2023 and October 2024. During this time, they helped us frame and develop key parts of our visioning process. That included the need, from the outset, to follow a recognized trauma-informed approach (we used a modified Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration approach), creating safer spaces while providing self and collective care to minimize triggers, and prevent re-traumatization during the process
Now that the visioning process is complete, our champions will continue to be vocal advocates for our vision.
Our larger Visioning Group is composed of actors reflecting a diverse cross-section of the global community impacted by childhood sexual violence, encompassing a range of ethnicities, nationalities, genders, and sexualities. This diversity also includes areas of expertize spanning key focus areas such as Global South- and North-focused work, global and grassroots initiatives, and specific issues like online abuse, incest and child marriage.
Importantly, the Visioning Group also brought a range of attitudes regarding the project's goal, providing a balance of reasons for positivity and areas of concern. This diverse makeup ensured the visioning process was comprehensive, grounded and open to nuanced perspectives.
A regular cadence of discussions
We hosted an initial three-day visioning workshop in London in October 2023 to gather initial feedback on our aims, our process and the substantive issues in play.
From March to September 2024 the To Zero implementation team sought opportunities to further inform the vision and roadmap by meeting stakeholders where they were already gathered, including in different parts of the world (see insert: Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process). These events included regional leader and activist meetings, survivor retreats, and conferences designed for researchers and practitioners in the field. Each gathering was also used as an opportunity to expand the Visioning Group.
During this period we also hosted a series of Visioning Group virtual sessions. As a result of these processes, over 330 global stakeholders have been involved in contributing to the vision and roadmap presented in this report.
A regular cadence of discussions
We hosted an initial three-day visioning workshop in London in October 2023 to gather initial feedback on our aims, our process and the substantive issues in play.
From March to September 2024 the To Zero implementation team sought opportunities to further inform the vision and roadmap by meeting stakeholders where they were already gathered, including in different parts of the world (see insert: Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process). These events included regional leader and activist meetings, survivor retreats, and conferences designed for researchers and practitioners in the field. Each gathering was also used as an opportunity to expand the Visioning Group.
During this period we also hosted a series of Visioning Group virtual sessions. As a result of these processes, over 330 global stakeholders have been involved in contributing to the vision and roadmap presented in this report.
A regular cadence of discussions
We hosted an initial three-day visioning workshop in London in October 2023 to gather initial feedback on our aims, our process and the substantive issues in play.
From March to September 2024 the To Zero implementation team sought opportunities to further inform the vision and roadmap by meeting stakeholders where they were already gathered, including in different parts of the world (see insert: Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process). These events included regional leader and activist meetings, survivor retreats, and conferences designed for researchers and practitioners in the field. Each gathering was also used as an opportunity to expand the Visioning Group.
During this period we also hosted a series of Visioning Group virtual sessions. As a result of these processes, over 330 global stakeholders have been involved in contributing to the vision and roadmap presented in this report.
A regular cadence of discussions
We hosted an initial three-day visioning workshop in London in October 2023 to gather initial feedback on our aims, our process and the substantive issues in play.
From March to September 2024 the To Zero implementation team sought opportunities to further inform the vision and roadmap by meeting stakeholders where they were already gathered, including in different parts of the world (see insert: Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process). These events included regional leader and activist meetings, survivor retreats, and conferences designed for researchers and practitioners in the field. Each gathering was also used as an opportunity to expand the Visioning Group.
During this period we also hosted a series of Visioning Group virtual sessions. As a result of these processes, over 330 global stakeholders have been involved in contributing to the vision and roadmap presented in this report.
Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process
ECPAT Regional Meeting (Thailand); Family for Every Child (Thailand); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Campaigning) (UK); Brave Movement Retreat (Portugal); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Justice & Accountability) (Mexico); Ending Clergy Abuse Members Meeting (Italy); Envision Conference, The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (USA); DeafKidz International (South Africa); Institute for Security Studies (South Africa); Youth Leaders convening (South Africa).
Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process
ECPAT Regional Meeting (Thailand); Family for Every Child (Thailand); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Campaigning) (UK); Brave Movement Retreat (Portugal); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Justice & Accountability) (Mexico); Ending Clergy Abuse Members Meeting (Italy); Envision Conference, The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (USA); DeafKidz International (South Africa); Institute for Security Studies (South Africa); Youth Leaders convening (South Africa).
Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process
ECPAT Regional Meeting (Thailand); Family for Every Child (Thailand); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Campaigning) (UK); Brave Movement Retreat (Portugal); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Justice & Accountability) (Mexico); Ending Clergy Abuse Members Meeting (Italy); Envision Conference, The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (USA); DeafKidz International (South Africa); Institute for Security Studies (South Africa); Youth Leaders convening (South Africa).
Workshops hosted by To Zero during the visioning process
ECPAT Regional Meeting (Thailand); Family for Every Child (Thailand); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Campaigning) (UK); Brave Movement Retreat (Portugal); Oak Foundation Grantee Convening (focused on Justice & Accountability) (Mexico); Ending Clergy Abuse Members Meeting (Italy); Envision Conference, The Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse (USA); DeafKidz International (South Africa); Institute for Security Studies (South Africa); Youth Leaders convening (South Africa).
Additional insights
We’ve been grateful to work with partners that have helped us gather marginalized and underrepresented perspectives, including those of children with disabilities and their supporters, non-English speakers, and the youth voice. We know there is much more work to be done to truly reflect mainstream and less represented experiences of CSV, such as the LGBTQIA+ community.
Further, our approach has been informed by three additional activities to collect field insights:
Solutions Insights Lab carried out over Solutions Insights Lab carried out over 75 in-depth stakeholder interviews across the world in a number of languages and not limited to the CSV field. These were probing for depth and relevant experience, filling gaps, surfacing new ideas. Running parallel to our visioning process, we cross-referenced the insights emerging from both processes to add strength to our collective outputs.
A group of global youth leaders in the sector came together to share insights, helping us ensure that youth perspectives are reflected in our final outputs.
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) gathered views and insights on research and data related to childhood sexual violence to feed into our process.
Additional insights
We’ve been grateful to work with partners that have helped us gather marginalized and underrepresented perspectives, including those of children with disabilities and their supporters, non-English speakers, and the youth voice. We know there is much more work to be done to truly reflect mainstream and less represented experiences of CSV, such as the LGBTQIA+ community.
Further, our approach has been informed by three additional activities to collect field insights:
Solutions Insights Lab carried out over Solutions Insights Lab carried out over 75 in-depth stakeholder interviews across the world in a number of languages and not limited to the CSV field. These were probing for depth and relevant experience, filling gaps, surfacing new ideas. Running parallel to our visioning process, we cross-referenced the insights emerging from both processes to add strength to our collective outputs.
A group of global youth leaders in the sector came together to share insights, helping us ensure that youth perspectives are reflected in our final outputs.
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) gathered views and insights on research and data related to childhood sexual violence to feed into our process.
Additional insights
We’ve been grateful to work with partners that have helped us gather marginalized and underrepresented perspectives, including those of children with disabilities and their supporters, non-English speakers, and the youth voice. We know there is much more work to be done to truly reflect mainstream and less represented experiences of CSV, such as the LGBTQIA+ community.
Further, our approach has been informed by three additional activities to collect field insights:
Solutions Insights Lab carried out over Solutions Insights Lab carried out over 75 in-depth stakeholder interviews across the world in a number of languages and not limited to the CSV field. These were probing for depth and relevant experience, filling gaps, surfacing new ideas. Running parallel to our visioning process, we cross-referenced the insights emerging from both processes to add strength to our collective outputs.
A group of global youth leaders in the sector came together to share insights, helping us ensure that youth perspectives are reflected in our final outputs.
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) gathered views and insights on research and data related to childhood sexual violence to feed into our process.
Additional insights
We’ve been grateful to work with partners that have helped us gather marginalized and underrepresented perspectives, including those of children with disabilities and their supporters, non-English speakers, and the youth voice. We know there is much more work to be done to truly reflect mainstream and less represented experiences of CSV, such as the LGBTQIA+ community.
Further, our approach has been informed by three additional activities to collect field insights:
Solutions Insights Lab carried out over Solutions Insights Lab carried out over 75 in-depth stakeholder interviews across the world in a number of languages and not limited to the CSV field. These were probing for depth and relevant experience, filling gaps, surfacing new ideas. Running parallel to our visioning process, we cross-referenced the insights emerging from both processes to add strength to our collective outputs.
A group of global youth leaders in the sector came together to share insights, helping us ensure that youth perspectives are reflected in our final outputs.
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) gathered views and insights on research and data related to childhood sexual violence to feed into our process.
How to read this report
In the next section we describe our vision and what we need to realize it - looking at sources of hope, causes for concern and the implications for more effective action to meet our goal of ending CSV. This section highlights six critical thematic areas ripe for cross-sector practice and collaboration.
Based on those critical themes, we then set out in detail eight tangible Action Accelerators: examples of key routes of action that, if pursued diligently, can make a real difference to the childhood sexual violence landscape in the next five years.
Finally, in our Call to Action, we summarize our recommendations and issue an invitation for actors across our sector and beyond to play their part in ending CSV.
How to read this report
In the next section we describe our vision and what we need to realize it - looking at sources of hope, causes for concern and the implications for more effective action to meet our goal of ending CSV. This section highlights six critical thematic areas ripe for cross-sector practice and collaboration.
Based on those critical themes, we then set out in detail eight tangible Action Accelerators: examples of key routes of action that, if pursued diligently, can make a real difference to the childhood sexual violence landscape in the next five years.
Finally, in our Call to Action, we summarize our recommendations and issue an invitation for actors across our sector and beyond to play their part in ending CSV.
How to read this report
In the next section we describe our vision and what we need to realize it - looking at sources of hope, causes for concern and the implications for more effective action to meet our goal of ending CSV. This section highlights six critical thematic areas ripe for cross-sector practice and collaboration.
Based on those critical themes, we then set out in detail eight tangible Action Accelerators: examples of key routes of action that, if pursued diligently, can make a real difference to the childhood sexual violence landscape in the next five years.
Finally, in our Call to Action, we summarize our recommendations and issue an invitation for actors across our sector and beyond to play their part in ending CSV.
How to read this report
In the next section we describe our vision and what we need to realize it - looking at sources of hope, causes for concern and the implications for more effective action to meet our goal of ending CSV. This section highlights six critical thematic areas ripe for cross-sector practice and collaboration.
Based on those critical themes, we then set out in detail eight tangible Action Accelerators: examples of key routes of action that, if pursued diligently, can make a real difference to the childhood sexual violence landscape in the next five years.
Finally, in our Call to Action, we summarize our recommendations and issue an invitation for actors across our sector and beyond to play their part in ending CSV.
To Zero exists as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue.
To Zero exists as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue.
To Zero exists as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue.
To Zero exists as a timebound initiative dedicated solely to one issue.
Our vision
And what we need to realize it
Our vision
And what we need to realize it
Our vision
And what we need to realize it
Mapping the field
As outlined in the introduction, we have spoken to key stakeholders, including civil society leaders, practitioners, researchers, campaigners, and donors, to gain a deeper understanding of what supports, what hinders, and what provides hope in our mission to end childhood sexual violence.
Each conversation has added a new layer of understanding and nuance to our map of the landscape, while strengthening our sense of global community and collective power.
Though everyone’s focus is unique, the visioning process helped people better understand their place in a bigger picture. We were not aiming to have everyone reach a consensus, but to understand cultural and socioeconomic differences and individual perspectives as we consolidated areas of common ground. The vision that follows is therefore supported both by quantifiable data and by the collective and diverse experience of actors in the field.
As outlined in the introduction, we have spoken to key stakeholders, including civil society leaders, practitioners, researchers, campaigners, and donors, to gain a deeper understanding of what supports, what hinders, and what provides hope in our mission to end childhood sexual violence.
Each conversation has added a new layer of understanding and nuance to our map of the landscape, while strengthening our sense of global community and collective power.
Though everyone’s focus is unique, the visioning process helped people better understand their place in a bigger picture. We were not aiming to have everyone reach a consensus, but to understand cultural and socioeconomic differences and individual perspectives as we consolidated areas of common ground. The vision that follows is therefore supported both by quantifiable data and by the collective and diverse experience of actors in the field.
As outlined in the introduction, we have spoken to key stakeholders, including civil society leaders, practitioners, researchers, campaigners, and donors, to gain a deeper understanding of what supports, what hinders, and what provides hope in our mission to end childhood sexual violence.
Each conversation has added a new layer of understanding and nuance to our map of the landscape, while strengthening our sense of global community and collective power.
Though everyone’s focus is unique, the visioning process helped people better understand their place in a bigger picture. We were not aiming to have everyone reach a consensus, but to understand cultural and socioeconomic differences and individual perspectives as we consolidated areas of common ground. The vision that follows is therefore supported both by quantifiable data and by the collective and diverse experience of actors in the field.
As outlined in the introduction, we have spoken to key stakeholders, including civil society leaders, practitioners, researchers, campaigners, and donors, to gain a deeper understanding of what supports, what hinders, and what provides hope in our mission to end childhood sexual violence.
Each conversation has added a new layer of understanding and nuance to our map of the landscape, while strengthening our sense of global community and collective power.
Though everyone’s focus is unique, the visioning process helped people better understand their place in a bigger picture. We were not aiming to have everyone reach a consensus, but to understand cultural and socioeconomic differences and individual perspectives as we consolidated areas of common ground. The vision that follows is therefore supported both by quantifiable data and by the collective and diverse experience of actors in the field.




Capturing our vision
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else. What was also clear is that our field shares a strong conviction that childhood sexual violence is preventable.
Our vision for that future, a future without CSV, naturally embraces all kinds of broad, positive outcomes. In terms of our immediate focus, it can be summed up in four aspects: a safe and healthy world for children, a healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV, strong systems of governance, justice and accountability, and collaboration, innovation and learning.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else. What was also clear is that our field shares a strong conviction that childhood sexual violence is preventable.
Our vision for that future, a future without CSV, naturally embraces all kinds of broad, positive outcomes. In terms of our immediate focus, it can be summed up in four aspects: a safe and healthy world for children, a healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV, strong systems of governance, justice and accountability, and collaboration, innovation and learning.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else. What was also clear is that our field shares a strong conviction that childhood sexual violence is preventable.
Our vision for that future, a future without CSV, naturally embraces all kinds of broad, positive outcomes. In terms of our immediate focus, it can be summed up in four aspects: a safe and healthy world for children, a healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV, strong systems of governance, justice and accountability, and collaboration, innovation and learning.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else. What was also clear is that our field shares a strong conviction that childhood sexual violence is preventable.
Our vision for that future, a future without CSV, naturally embraces all kinds of broad, positive outcomes. In terms of our immediate focus, it can be summed up in four aspects: a safe and healthy world for children, a healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV, strong systems of governance, justice and accountability, and collaboration, innovation and learning.
1: A safe and healthy world for children
Without the threat of abuse, everyone agreed that wider society benefits – for example with parents able to cease worrying and enjoy quality time with their children, and with public resources fed into life-enhancing activity rather than restoration, investigation and incarceration. Crucially, healthy children grow up to be healthy adults, meaning eradicating CSV will have a deeper societal impact that goes beyond restoring the natural joys of childhood.
Addressing contributory factors such as poverty, systemic inequality and oppression, and shifting gender expectations are key to lasting change. As those shifts take place, we must continue to provide therapeutic, trauma-informed services for survivors and well-resourced educational programs for families, for adult perpetrators, and for youth with problematic sexual behaviors. These are necessary actions to create healthier societies where childhood sexual violence should not occur.
1: A safe and healthy world for children
Without the threat of abuse, everyone agreed that wider society benefits – for example with parents able to cease worrying and enjoy quality time with their children, and with public resources fed into life-enhancing activity rather than restoration, investigation and incarceration. Crucially, healthy children grow up to be healthy adults, meaning eradicating CSV will have a deeper societal impact that goes beyond restoring the natural joys of childhood.
Addressing contributory factors such as poverty, systemic inequality and oppression, and shifting gender expectations are key to lasting change. As those shifts take place, we must continue to provide therapeutic, trauma-informed services for survivors and well-resourced educational programs for families, for adult perpetrators, and for youth with problematic sexual behaviors. These are necessary actions to create healthier societies where childhood sexual violence should not occur.
1: A safe and healthy world for children
Without the threat of abuse, everyone agreed that wider society benefits – for example with parents able to cease worrying and enjoy quality time with their children, and with public resources fed into life-enhancing activity rather than restoration, investigation and incarceration. Crucially, healthy children grow up to be healthy adults, meaning eradicating CSV will have a deeper societal impact that goes beyond restoring the natural joys of childhood.
Addressing contributory factors such as poverty, systemic inequality and oppression, and shifting gender expectations are key to lasting change. As those shifts take place, we must continue to provide therapeutic, trauma-informed services for survivors and well-resourced educational programs for families, for adult perpetrators, and for youth with problematic sexual behaviors. These are necessary actions to create healthier societies where childhood sexual violence should not occur.
1: A safe and healthy world for children
Without the threat of abuse, everyone agreed that wider society benefits – for example with parents able to cease worrying and enjoy quality time with their children, and with public resources fed into life-enhancing activity rather than restoration, investigation and incarceration. Crucially, healthy children grow up to be healthy adults, meaning eradicating CSV will have a deeper societal impact that goes beyond restoring the natural joys of childhood.
Addressing contributory factors such as poverty, systemic inequality and oppression, and shifting gender expectations are key to lasting change. As those shifts take place, we must continue to provide therapeutic, trauma-informed services for survivors and well-resourced educational programs for families, for adult perpetrators, and for youth with problematic sexual behaviors. These are necessary actions to create healthier societies where childhood sexual violence should not occur.
2: A healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV
While a healthy culture will have zero tolerance for any incidence of sexual abuse, it should still be discussed openly. There’s a strong desire to normalize conversations around CSV, removing the shame and taboos that allow violence to continue in the shadows. It should be discussed as openly as other social problems, to maintain public and political attention and to ensure that survivors are able to disclose abuse without risk of further harm.
It’s clear the field recognizes longer term cultural changes are needed alongside providing greater support to survivors. One stakeholder expressed it in this way: “services can never be sufficiently upscaled as the need always outstrips provision”.
2: A healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV
While a healthy culture will have zero tolerance for any incidence of sexual abuse, it should still be discussed openly. There’s a strong desire to normalize conversations around CSV, removing the shame and taboos that allow violence to continue in the shadows. It should be discussed as openly as other social problems, to maintain public and political attention and to ensure that survivors are able to disclose abuse without risk of further harm.
It’s clear the field recognizes longer term cultural changes are needed alongside providing greater support to survivors. One stakeholder expressed it in this way: “services can never be sufficiently upscaled as the need always outstrips provision”.
2: A healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV
While a healthy culture will have zero tolerance for any incidence of sexual abuse, it should still be discussed openly. There’s a strong desire to normalize conversations around CSV, removing the shame and taboos that allow violence to continue in the shadows. It should be discussed as openly as other social problems, to maintain public and political attention and to ensure that survivors are able to disclose abuse without risk of further harm.
It’s clear the field recognizes longer term cultural changes are needed alongside providing greater support to survivors. One stakeholder expressed it in this way: “services can never be sufficiently upscaled as the need always outstrips provision”.
2: A healthy culture with zero tolerance for CSV
While a healthy culture will have zero tolerance for any incidence of sexual abuse, it should still be discussed openly. There’s a strong desire to normalize conversations around CSV, removing the shame and taboos that allow violence to continue in the shadows. It should be discussed as openly as other social problems, to maintain public and political attention and to ensure that survivors are able to disclose abuse without risk of further harm.
It’s clear the field recognizes longer term cultural changes are needed alongside providing greater support to survivors. One stakeholder expressed it in this way: “services can never be sufficiently upscaled as the need always outstrips provision”.
3: Strong systems of governance, wellbeing, justice and accountability
A central principle of our vision is that children deserve dignity and respect and should not be treated as the property of adults. Their voices must be listened to, as they develop a strong sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. Ultimately children’s rights are human rights.
Government policies and sector decision making should prioritize children’s safety and well being when delivering or designing services, legislation and regulation. They should also respect and engage children, adolescents and youth, using survivors’ voices to inform decisions and policies.
Strong regulation and oversight will keep private companies and public settings, including online environments, workplaces and the home, safe for children. They will reflect a culture that demands safety and is quick to respond to harm. Prevention and response programs from governments must be funded to match the scale of the problem, and technology must be regulated to remain safe as it evolves.
We envision a stronger culture of justice and accountability, with systems underpinned by a commitment to healing through restorative or even transformative justice. Justice will be accessible, survivor-centered, adapted for children where necessary, and hold adult perpetrators to account. We heard repeatedly the desire for prevention, justice and healing – all three, hand in hand.
3: Strong systems of governance, wellbeing, justice and accountability
A central principle of our vision is that children deserve dignity and respect and should not be treated as the property of adults. Their voices must be listened to, as they develop a strong sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. Ultimately children’s rights are human rights.
Government policies and sector decision making should prioritize children’s safety and well being when delivering or designing services, legislation and regulation. They should also respect and engage children, adolescents and youth, using survivors’ voices to inform decisions and policies.
Strong regulation and oversight will keep private companies and public settings, including online environments, workplaces and the home, safe for children. They will reflect a culture that demands safety and is quick to respond to harm. Prevention and response programs from governments must be funded to match the scale of the problem, and technology must be regulated to remain safe as it evolves.
We envision a stronger culture of justice and accountability, with systems underpinned by a commitment to healing through restorative or even transformative justice. Justice will be accessible, survivor-centered, adapted for children where necessary, and hold adult perpetrators to account. We heard repeatedly the desire for prevention, justice and healing – all three, hand in hand.
3: Strong systems of governance, wellbeing, justice and accountability
A central principle of our vision is that children deserve dignity and respect and should not be treated as the property of adults. Their voices must be listened to, as they develop a strong sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. Ultimately children’s rights are human rights.
Government policies and sector decision making should prioritize children’s safety and well being when delivering or designing services, legislation and regulation. They should also respect and engage children, adolescents and youth, using survivors’ voices to inform decisions and policies.
Strong regulation and oversight will keep private companies and public settings, including online environments, workplaces and the home, safe for children. They will reflect a culture that demands safety and is quick to respond to harm. Prevention and response programs from governments must be funded to match the scale of the problem, and technology must be regulated to remain safe as it evolves.
We envision a stronger culture of justice and accountability, with systems underpinned by a commitment to healing through restorative or even transformative justice. Justice will be accessible, survivor-centered, adapted for children where necessary, and hold adult perpetrators to account. We heard repeatedly the desire for prevention, justice and healing – all three, hand in hand.
3: Strong systems of governance, wellbeing, justice and accountability
A central principle of our vision is that children deserve dignity and respect and should not be treated as the property of adults. Their voices must be listened to, as they develop a strong sense of agency and autonomy that they can carry into adulthood. Ultimately children’s rights are human rights.
Government policies and sector decision making should prioritize children’s safety and well being when delivering or designing services, legislation and regulation. They should also respect and engage children, adolescents and youth, using survivors’ voices to inform decisions and policies.
Strong regulation and oversight will keep private companies and public settings, including online environments, workplaces and the home, safe for children. They will reflect a culture that demands safety and is quick to respond to harm. Prevention and response programs from governments must be funded to match the scale of the problem, and technology must be regulated to remain safe as it evolves.
We envision a stronger culture of justice and accountability, with systems underpinned by a commitment to healing through restorative or even transformative justice. Justice will be accessible, survivor-centered, adapted for children where necessary, and hold adult perpetrators to account. We heard repeatedly the desire for prevention, justice and healing – all three, hand in hand.
4: Collaboration, innovation and learning
Achieving our goal is clearly a shared endeavor. To realize change, our field will need to give greater attention to collaboration and sharing resources, recognizing that the pace of progress will differ in different contexts across the world.
It will also be essential for those in the field to stay ahead of the curve, with initiatives that provide constant learning and adaptation. Our culture of research and innovation must also become more dynamic, diverse, practice-oriented and robust, while exploring neglected areas and settings that could teach us something new.
4: Collaboration, innovation and learning
Achieving our goal is clearly a shared endeavor. To realize change, our field will need to give greater attention to collaboration and sharing resources, recognizing that the pace of progress will differ in different contexts across the world.
It will also be essential for those in the field to stay ahead of the curve, with initiatives that provide constant learning and adaptation. Our culture of research and innovation must also become more dynamic, diverse, practice-oriented and robust, while exploring neglected areas and settings that could teach us something new.
4: Collaboration, innovation and learning
Achieving our goal is clearly a shared endeavor. To realize change, our field will need to give greater attention to collaboration and sharing resources, recognizing that the pace of progress will differ in different contexts across the world.
It will also be essential for those in the field to stay ahead of the curve, with initiatives that provide constant learning and adaptation. Our culture of research and innovation must also become more dynamic, diverse, practice-oriented and robust, while exploring neglected areas and settings that could teach us something new.
4: Collaboration, innovation and learning
Achieving our goal is clearly a shared endeavor. To realize change, our field will need to give greater attention to collaboration and sharing resources, recognizing that the pace of progress will differ in different contexts across the world.
It will also be essential for those in the field to stay ahead of the curve, with initiatives that provide constant learning and adaptation. Our culture of research and innovation must also become more dynamic, diverse, practice-oriented and robust, while exploring neglected areas and settings that could teach us something new.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else.
We heard in all our conversations a universal sense of desire for children to be safe above all else.
Sources of hope
We have a long way to go to realize this vision. Even so, there are many sources of hope and encouragement. Our stakeholders’ sentiment was that we have already come so far. Having a clear vision allows us to see where seeds and even green shoots of our vision already exist. If we can imagine it we can see it, and if we can see it we can grow it. We were extremely motivated by the courage, commitment and quality of work being done by every person we encountered, at all levels and across every continent.
These people were upbeat about the future, with good reason:
“There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.”
“There is an increasing social conscience, a sense of shared responsibility.”
“Public awareness is growing – the tectonic plates are shifting.”
One stakeholder from a political background said:
“Leaders’ attitudes have changed. There are champions in the [US] senate who walk the talk, provide budget and people. If we can offer them effective things to invest in, they will. We take the changes we are seeing in society today for granted, but they are the result of patient work over many years.”
These sentiments are already delivering tangible results. At high level, more sophisticated research and available evidence (including innovative, cross-sector interventions designed for systemic impact) give us confidence that “we know what good looks like”. We’re seeing bolder bids and more funds available to bring them to life.
In the field, survivor councils and commissions are being established. More support groups have mobilized, giving a voice to survivor, parent and youth advocates. They’re led by powerful, persuasive leaders, who are everywhere. Global commitments that galvanize progress to end childhood sexual violence, like the UN’s SDGs, are known and used across the world.
In legal systems, statutes of limitations are being overturned to facilitate justice for past offences, setting examples of models and standards that are being adopted in other jurisdictions. The culture is shifting and we have evidence of the power of individual testimony from people with lived experience in government settings across the world.
The Internet has been a force for good for children, where children learn, socialize and connect. Yet it also carries dangers. Public awareness is growing about ‘safety by design’ principles and there are mounting demands for regulation and greater accountability in the technology sector to ensure stronger online safety.
Hope is infectious and sharing our stories is deeply energizing. After reviewing today’s landscape, one veteran campaigner remarked:
“We are winning. We will win.”
We have a long way to go to realize this vision. Even so, there are many sources of hope and encouragement. Our stakeholders’ sentiment was that we have already come so far. Having a clear vision allows us to see where seeds and even green shoots of our vision already exist. If we can imagine it we can see it, and if we can see it we can grow it. We were extremely motivated by the courage, commitment and quality of work being done by every person we encountered, at all levels and across every continent.
These people were upbeat about the future, with good reason:
“There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.”
“There is an increasing social conscience, a sense of shared responsibility.”
“Public awareness is growing – the tectonic plates are shifting.”
One stakeholder from a political background said:
“Leaders’ attitudes have changed. There are champions in the [US] senate who walk the talk, provide budget and people. If we can offer them effective things to invest in, they will. We take the changes we are seeing in society today for granted, but they are the result of patient work over many years.”
These sentiments are already delivering tangible results. At high level, more sophisticated research and available evidence (including innovative, cross-sector interventions designed for systemic impact) give us confidence that “we know what good looks like”. We’re seeing bolder bids and more funds available to bring them to life.
In the field, survivor councils and commissions are being established. More support groups have mobilized, giving a voice to survivor, parent and youth advocates. They’re led by powerful, persuasive leaders, who are everywhere. Global commitments that galvanize progress to end childhood sexual violence, like the UN’s SDGs, are known and used across the world.
In legal systems, statutes of limitations are being overturned to facilitate justice for past offences, setting examples of models and standards that are being adopted in other jurisdictions. The culture is shifting and we have evidence of the power of individual testimony from people with lived experience in government settings across the world.
The Internet has been a force for good for children, where children learn, socialize and connect. Yet it also carries dangers. Public awareness is growing about ‘safety by design’ principles and there are mounting demands for regulation and greater accountability in the technology sector to ensure stronger online safety.
Hope is infectious and sharing our stories is deeply energizing. After reviewing today’s landscape, one veteran campaigner remarked:
“We are winning. We will win.”
We have a long way to go to realize this vision. Even so, there are many sources of hope and encouragement. Our stakeholders’ sentiment was that we have already come so far. Having a clear vision allows us to see where seeds and even green shoots of our vision already exist. If we can imagine it we can see it, and if we can see it we can grow it. We were extremely motivated by the courage, commitment and quality of work being done by every person we encountered, at all levels and across every continent.
These people were upbeat about the future, with good reason:
“There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.”
“There is an increasing social conscience, a sense of shared responsibility.”
“Public awareness is growing – the tectonic plates are shifting.”
One stakeholder from a political background said:
“Leaders’ attitudes have changed. There are champions in the [US] senate who walk the talk, provide budget and people. If we can offer them effective things to invest in, they will. We take the changes we are seeing in society today for granted, but they are the result of patient work over many years.”
These sentiments are already delivering tangible results. At high level, more sophisticated research and available evidence (including innovative, cross-sector interventions designed for systemic impact) give us confidence that “we know what good looks like”. We’re seeing bolder bids and more funds available to bring them to life.
In the field, survivor councils and commissions are being established. More support groups have mobilized, giving a voice to survivor, parent and youth advocates. They’re led by powerful, persuasive leaders, who are everywhere. Global commitments that galvanize progress to end childhood sexual violence, like the UN’s SDGs, are known and used across the world.
In legal systems, statutes of limitations are being overturned to facilitate justice for past offences, setting examples of models and standards that are being adopted in other jurisdictions. The culture is shifting and we have evidence of the power of individual testimony from people with lived experience in government settings across the world.
The Internet has been a force for good for children, where children learn, socialize and connect. Yet it also carries dangers. Public awareness is growing about ‘safety by design’ principles and there are mounting demands for regulation and greater accountability in the technology sector to ensure stronger online safety.
Hope is infectious and sharing our stories is deeply energizing. After reviewing today’s landscape, one veteran campaigner remarked:
“We are winning. We will win.”
We have a long way to go to realize this vision. Even so, there are many sources of hope and encouragement. Our stakeholders’ sentiment was that we have already come so far. Having a clear vision allows us to see where seeds and even green shoots of our vision already exist. If we can imagine it we can see it, and if we can see it we can grow it. We were extremely motivated by the courage, commitment and quality of work being done by every person we encountered, at all levels and across every continent.
These people were upbeat about the future, with good reason:
“There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.”
“There is an increasing social conscience, a sense of shared responsibility.”
“Public awareness is growing – the tectonic plates are shifting.”
One stakeholder from a political background said:
“Leaders’ attitudes have changed. There are champions in the [US] senate who walk the talk, provide budget and people. If we can offer them effective things to invest in, they will. We take the changes we are seeing in society today for granted, but they are the result of patient work over many years.”
These sentiments are already delivering tangible results. At high level, more sophisticated research and available evidence (including innovative, cross-sector interventions designed for systemic impact) give us confidence that “we know what good looks like”. We’re seeing bolder bids and more funds available to bring them to life.
In the field, survivor councils and commissions are being established. More support groups have mobilized, giving a voice to survivor, parent and youth advocates. They’re led by powerful, persuasive leaders, who are everywhere. Global commitments that galvanize progress to end childhood sexual violence, like the UN’s SDGs, are known and used across the world.
In legal systems, statutes of limitations are being overturned to facilitate justice for past offences, setting examples of models and standards that are being adopted in other jurisdictions. The culture is shifting and we have evidence of the power of individual testimony from people with lived experience in government settings across the world.
The Internet has been a force for good for children, where children learn, socialize and connect. Yet it also carries dangers. Public awareness is growing about ‘safety by design’ principles and there are mounting demands for regulation and greater accountability in the technology sector to ensure stronger online safety.
Hope is infectious and sharing our stories is deeply energizing. After reviewing today’s landscape, one veteran campaigner remarked:
“We are winning. We will win.”
There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.
There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.
There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.
There will always be outliers, but culture and societies can change.
Causes for concern
To achieve real change, we must be honest about what is frustrating further progress. None of these factors cancel out the many reasons for hope, but they must be acknowledged to provide essential context and guide our field’s approach.
Global
At a global level, many concerns relate to what the World Health Organization has called an ‘age of chaos’, where tangled challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, conflict, displacement, and migration vie for attention and resources. Many of today’s biggest issues intersect with childhood sexual violence, meaning progress must be made in other areas to create lasting change.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge. We heard about the dramatic shifts in the digital landscape, for example, with influencers and ‘fake news’ shaping narratives. We also heard about shifting demographics and the rise of urban living in regions such as Asia and Africa.
From a legal perspective, national legislation alone is not effective in tackling cross-border issues. We need greater regional and global collaboration. We must find ways to work across differences in language, political and legal systems, cultures, approach, evidence gathering, and resource allocation.
Cultural
Culture is another pervasive concern. The current stigma means advocating for resources and change is challenging. Often the most disturbing practices are the most difficult to bring to light. Culture wars and entrenched gender norms, which breed polarization and use misinformation to cause moral panic, can even recede progress. Stakeholders called this “demoralizing”, noting that this backlash can paint advocates for social change as dangerous, radical, anti-family and anti-government disruptors.
Outside of this, practitioners noted that the public and politicians are less likely to believe ending CSV is possible, despite the field’s firm belief that it is. There remains a stubborn belief that violence is an individual issue, rather than a reflection of institutional and systemic failures. That view tends to blame children, survivors and parents, rather than perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them.
There is also concern around making sure marginalized voices, which are less likely to be represented in data, are still part of the picture. In a session with DeafKidz International, where we heard from a group including deaf, blind, neurodivergent and physically disabled children, we noted concerns around being seen, heard, listened to and believed. They craved a world where they are included and cared for, with the freedom to help each other and to be “carefree children”.
Resourcing
Resourcing was a widespread concern, with civil society organizations spread thin and fighting powerful, anti-change forces. They explained that it is difficult to make time for collaboration when delivering their services is so consuming and urgent. There was also a desire to embrace more risk and flexibility to accommodate the rapidly changing landscape.
There are concerns around the quantity, quality and distribution of funding, with power imbalances between donors and recipients that perpetuate old patterns, colonial hierarchies and power structures. A small group of private donors essentially fund the majority of work in this sector. Governments at all levels need to prioritize this issue by allocating funding and resources to actors working on the ground.
Prevention-focused work
Stakeholders were particularly concerned about the lack of investment in research and innovation and funding for the delivery of prevention programs. Prevention is a route to addressing the upstream causes of childhood sexual violence. Practitioners talked about “band-aid” solutions and symptomatic responses, with little time, support or capacity for deeper, root cause, prevention-focused work.
Justice systems
In almost every conversation, we heard that justice can be difficult to access, often easily suppressed and routinely includes processes that are re-traumatizing, insensitive and unsatisfactory. This is important: securing public interest, political commitments, better legislation and stronger regulation rely ultimately for their impact on effective survivor- and child-centric systems of justice and accountability.
To achieve real change, we must be honest about what is frustrating further progress. None of these factors cancel out the many reasons for hope, but they must be acknowledged to provide essential context and guide our field’s approach.
Global
At a global level, many concerns relate to what the World Health Organization has called an ‘age of chaos’, where tangled challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, conflict, displacement, and migration vie for attention and resources. Many of today’s biggest issues intersect with childhood sexual violence, meaning progress must be made in other areas to create lasting change.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge. We heard about the dramatic shifts in the digital landscape, for example, with influencers and ‘fake news’ shaping narratives. We also heard about shifting demographics and the rise of urban living in regions such as Asia and Africa.
From a legal perspective, national legislation alone is not effective in tackling cross-border issues. We need greater regional and global collaboration. We must find ways to work across differences in language, political and legal systems, cultures, approach, evidence gathering, and resource allocation.
Cultural
Culture is another pervasive concern. The current stigma means advocating for resources and change is challenging. Often the most disturbing practices are the most difficult to bring to light. Culture wars and entrenched gender norms, which breed polarization and use misinformation to cause moral panic, can even recede progress. Stakeholders called this “demoralizing”, noting that this backlash can paint advocates for social change as dangerous, radical, anti-family and anti-government disruptors.
Outside of this, practitioners noted that the public and politicians are less likely to believe ending CSV is possible, despite the field’s firm belief that it is. There remains a stubborn belief that violence is an individual issue, rather than a reflection of institutional and systemic failures. That view tends to blame children, survivors and parents, rather than perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them.
There is also concern around making sure marginalized voices, which are less likely to be represented in data, are still part of the picture. In a session with DeafKidz International, where we heard from a group including deaf, blind, neurodivergent and physically disabled children, we noted concerns around being seen, heard, listened to and believed. They craved a world where they are included and cared for, with the freedom to help each other and to be “carefree children”.
Resourcing
Resourcing was a widespread concern, with civil society organizations spread thin and fighting powerful, anti-change forces. They explained that it is difficult to make time for collaboration when delivering their services is so consuming and urgent. There was also a desire to embrace more risk and flexibility to accommodate the rapidly changing landscape.
There are concerns around the quantity, quality and distribution of funding, with power imbalances between donors and recipients that perpetuate old patterns, colonial hierarchies and power structures. A small group of private donors essentially fund the majority of work in this sector. Governments at all levels need to prioritize this issue by allocating funding and resources to actors working on the ground.
Prevention-focused work
Stakeholders were particularly concerned about the lack of investment in research and innovation and funding for the delivery of prevention programs. Prevention is a route to addressing the upstream causes of childhood sexual violence. Practitioners talked about “band-aid” solutions and symptomatic responses, with little time, support or capacity for deeper, root cause, prevention-focused work.
Justice systems
In almost every conversation, we heard that justice can be difficult to access, often easily suppressed and routinely includes processes that are re-traumatizing, insensitive and unsatisfactory. This is important: securing public interest, political commitments, better legislation and stronger regulation rely ultimately for their impact on effective survivor- and child-centric systems of justice and accountability.
To achieve real change, we must be honest about what is frustrating further progress. None of these factors cancel out the many reasons for hope, but they must be acknowledged to provide essential context and guide our field’s approach.
Global
At a global level, many concerns relate to what the World Health Organization has called an ‘age of chaos’, where tangled challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, conflict, displacement, and migration vie for attention and resources. Many of today’s biggest issues intersect with childhood sexual violence, meaning progress must be made in other areas to create lasting change.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge. We heard about the dramatic shifts in the digital landscape, for example, with influencers and ‘fake news’ shaping narratives. We also heard about shifting demographics and the rise of urban living in regions such as Asia and Africa.
From a legal perspective, national legislation alone is not effective in tackling cross-border issues. We need greater regional and global collaboration. We must find ways to work across differences in language, political and legal systems, cultures, approach, evidence gathering, and resource allocation.
Cultural
Culture is another pervasive concern. The current stigma means advocating for resources and change is challenging. Often the most disturbing practices are the most difficult to bring to light. Culture wars and entrenched gender norms, which breed polarization and use misinformation to cause moral panic, can even recede progress. Stakeholders called this “demoralizing”, noting that this backlash can paint advocates for social change as dangerous, radical, anti-family and anti-government disruptors.
Outside of this, practitioners noted that the public and politicians are less likely to believe ending CSV is possible, despite the field’s firm belief that it is. There remains a stubborn belief that violence is an individual issue, rather than a reflection of institutional and systemic failures. That view tends to blame children, survivors and parents, rather than perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them.
There is also concern around making sure marginalized voices, which are less likely to be represented in data, are still part of the picture. In a session with DeafKidz International, where we heard from a group including deaf, blind, neurodivergent and physically disabled children, we noted concerns around being seen, heard, listened to and believed. They craved a world where they are included and cared for, with the freedom to help each other and to be “carefree children”.
Resourcing
Resourcing was a widespread concern, with civil society organizations spread thin and fighting powerful, anti-change forces. They explained that it is difficult to make time for collaboration when delivering their services is so consuming and urgent. There was also a desire to embrace more risk and flexibility to accommodate the rapidly changing landscape.
There are concerns around the quantity, quality and distribution of funding, with power imbalances between donors and recipients that perpetuate old patterns, colonial hierarchies and power structures. A small group of private donors essentially fund the majority of work in this sector. Governments at all levels need to prioritize this issue by allocating funding and resources to actors working on the ground.
Prevention-focused work
Stakeholders were particularly concerned about the lack of investment in research and innovation and funding for the delivery of prevention programs. Prevention is a route to addressing the upstream causes of childhood sexual violence. Practitioners talked about “band-aid” solutions and symptomatic responses, with little time, support or capacity for deeper, root cause, prevention-focused work.
Justice systems
In almost every conversation, we heard that justice can be difficult to access, often easily suppressed and routinely includes processes that are re-traumatizing, insensitive and unsatisfactory. This is important: securing public interest, political commitments, better legislation and stronger regulation rely ultimately for their impact on effective survivor- and child-centric systems of justice and accountability.
To achieve real change, we must be honest about what is frustrating further progress. None of these factors cancel out the many reasons for hope, but they must be acknowledged to provide essential context and guide our field’s approach.
Global
At a global level, many concerns relate to what the World Health Organization has called an ‘age of chaos’, where tangled challenges such as poverty, inequality, climate change, conflict, displacement, and migration vie for attention and resources. Many of today’s biggest issues intersect with childhood sexual violence, meaning progress must be made in other areas to create lasting change.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge. We heard about the dramatic shifts in the digital landscape, for example, with influencers and ‘fake news’ shaping narratives. We also heard about shifting demographics and the rise of urban living in regions such as Asia and Africa.
From a legal perspective, national legislation alone is not effective in tackling cross-border issues. We need greater regional and global collaboration. We must find ways to work across differences in language, political and legal systems, cultures, approach, evidence gathering, and resource allocation.
Cultural
Culture is another pervasive concern. The current stigma means advocating for resources and change is challenging. Often the most disturbing practices are the most difficult to bring to light. Culture wars and entrenched gender norms, which breed polarization and use misinformation to cause moral panic, can even recede progress. Stakeholders called this “demoralizing”, noting that this backlash can paint advocates for social change as dangerous, radical, anti-family and anti-government disruptors.
Outside of this, practitioners noted that the public and politicians are less likely to believe ending CSV is possible, despite the field’s firm belief that it is. There remains a stubborn belief that violence is an individual issue, rather than a reflection of institutional and systemic failures. That view tends to blame children, survivors and parents, rather than perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them.
There is also concern around making sure marginalized voices, which are less likely to be represented in data, are still part of the picture. In a session with DeafKidz International, where we heard from a group including deaf, blind, neurodivergent and physically disabled children, we noted concerns around being seen, heard, listened to and believed. They craved a world where they are included and cared for, with the freedom to help each other and to be “carefree children”.
Resourcing
Resourcing was a widespread concern, with civil society organizations spread thin and fighting powerful, anti-change forces. They explained that it is difficult to make time for collaboration when delivering their services is so consuming and urgent. There was also a desire to embrace more risk and flexibility to accommodate the rapidly changing landscape.
There are concerns around the quantity, quality and distribution of funding, with power imbalances between donors and recipients that perpetuate old patterns, colonial hierarchies and power structures. A small group of private donors essentially fund the majority of work in this sector. Governments at all levels need to prioritize this issue by allocating funding and resources to actors working on the ground.
Prevention-focused work
Stakeholders were particularly concerned about the lack of investment in research and innovation and funding for the delivery of prevention programs. Prevention is a route to addressing the upstream causes of childhood sexual violence. Practitioners talked about “band-aid” solutions and symptomatic responses, with little time, support or capacity for deeper, root cause, prevention-focused work.
Justice systems
In almost every conversation, we heard that justice can be difficult to access, often easily suppressed and routinely includes processes that are re-traumatizing, insensitive and unsatisfactory. This is important: securing public interest, political commitments, better legislation and stronger regulation rely ultimately for their impact on effective survivor- and child-centric systems of justice and accountability.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge.
Keeping up with the pace and complexity of global change is its own challenge.
Getting into action
Our conversations have equipped us with a wealth of evidence, fresh perspectives and invaluable insights. They have allowed us to create a map of the field from within and discover a compass that points the way towards ending childhood sexual violence. This journey started long ago, but we now have a good sense of how to accelerate progress.
Our conversations have equipped us with a wealth of evidence, fresh perspectives and invaluable insights. They have allowed us to create a map of the field from within and discover a compass that points the way towards ending childhood sexual violence. This journey started long ago, but we now have a good sense of how to accelerate progress.
Our conversations have equipped us with a wealth of evidence, fresh perspectives and invaluable insights. They have allowed us to create a map of the field from within and discover a compass that points the way towards ending childhood sexual violence. This journey started long ago, but we now have a good sense of how to accelerate progress.
Our conversations have equipped us with a wealth of evidence, fresh perspectives and invaluable insights. They have allowed us to create a map of the field from within and discover a compass that points the way towards ending childhood sexual violence. This journey started long ago, but we now have a good sense of how to accelerate progress.
Scale what works and explore what could
Repeatedly, stakeholders expressed the view that we should scale what works: scale successful initiatives and implement initiatives based on similar principles (adjusted for cultural sensitivities) across more regions. Our initial Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence report shared evidence on effective strategies and our conversations have helped us add new examples from a variety of sectors and countries. We also commissioned a wide-ranging series of interviews from Solutions Insights Lab identifying innovative responses and strategies, all available at https://solutionsforcsv.org.
At the same time, there was a clear note of caution around putting all resources into scaling as it can exclude creativity and innovation. We also need to invest in and test new ideas. We can take measured risks that will allow novel practice to produce new evidence, alongside more familiar evidence-guided approaches.
Global alignment around what works was viewed as something that can “move mountains”. There needs to be space for new approaches too. One participant embraced the broadest perspective: “We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.”
Scale what works and explore what could
Repeatedly, stakeholders expressed the view that we should scale what works: scale successful initiatives and implement initiatives based on similar principles (adjusted for cultural sensitivities) across more regions. Our initial Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence report shared evidence on effective strategies and our conversations have helped us add new examples from a variety of sectors and countries. We also commissioned a wide-ranging series of interviews from Solutions Insights Lab identifying innovative responses and strategies, all available at https://solutionsforcsv.org.
At the same time, there was a clear note of caution around putting all resources into scaling as it can exclude creativity and innovation. We also need to invest in and test new ideas. We can take measured risks that will allow novel practice to produce new evidence, alongside more familiar evidence-guided approaches.
Global alignment around what works was viewed as something that can “move mountains”. There needs to be space for new approaches too. One participant embraced the broadest perspective: “We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.”
Scale what works and explore what could
Repeatedly, stakeholders expressed the view that we should scale what works: scale successful initiatives and implement initiatives based on similar principles (adjusted for cultural sensitivities) across more regions. Our initial Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence report shared evidence on effective strategies and our conversations have helped us add new examples from a variety of sectors and countries. We also commissioned a wide-ranging series of interviews from Solutions Insights Lab identifying innovative responses and strategies, all available at https://solutionsforcsv.org.
At the same time, there was a clear note of caution around putting all resources into scaling as it can exclude creativity and innovation. We also need to invest in and test new ideas. We can take measured risks that will allow novel practice to produce new evidence, alongside more familiar evidence-guided approaches.
Global alignment around what works was viewed as something that can “move mountains”. There needs to be space for new approaches too. One participant embraced the broadest perspective: “We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.”
Scale what works and explore what could
Repeatedly, stakeholders expressed the view that we should scale what works: scale successful initiatives and implement initiatives based on similar principles (adjusted for cultural sensitivities) across more regions. Our initial Getting to Zero: A Review of the Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence report shared evidence on effective strategies and our conversations have helped us add new examples from a variety of sectors and countries. We also commissioned a wide-ranging series of interviews from Solutions Insights Lab identifying innovative responses and strategies, all available at https://solutionsforcsv.org.
At the same time, there was a clear note of caution around putting all resources into scaling as it can exclude creativity and innovation. We also need to invest in and test new ideas. We can take measured risks that will allow novel practice to produce new evidence, alongside more familiar evidence-guided approaches.
Global alignment around what works was viewed as something that can “move mountains”. There needs to be space for new approaches too. One participant embraced the broadest perspective: “We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.”
Focus on critical themes
Childhood sexual violence is a nuanced problem, so it is difficult to boil it down without overly simplifying the issue. Still, ending childhood sexual violence means navigating a complex, global sociopolitical landscape. Focusing on critical areas, considered in the fuller context of our field, will help us take targeted, effective action across the world.
Through our conversations, we have identified six themes that are critical, perhaps under-represented elsewhere, and ripe with opportunity for cross-sector, cross-practice alliances. Our conversations with stakeholders suggest that effective work in these areas is likely to make a significant contribution towards enabling the realization of our shared vision.
Focus on critical themes
Childhood sexual violence is a nuanced problem, so it is difficult to boil it down without overly simplifying the issue. Still, ending childhood sexual violence means navigating a complex, global sociopolitical landscape. Focusing on critical areas, considered in the fuller context of our field, will help us take targeted, effective action across the world.
Through our conversations, we have identified six themes that are critical, perhaps under-represented elsewhere, and ripe with opportunity for cross-sector, cross-practice alliances. Our conversations with stakeholders suggest that effective work in these areas is likely to make a significant contribution towards enabling the realization of our shared vision.
Focus on critical themes
Childhood sexual violence is a nuanced problem, so it is difficult to boil it down without overly simplifying the issue. Still, ending childhood sexual violence means navigating a complex, global sociopolitical landscape. Focusing on critical areas, considered in the fuller context of our field, will help us take targeted, effective action across the world.
Through our conversations, we have identified six themes that are critical, perhaps under-represented elsewhere, and ripe with opportunity for cross-sector, cross-practice alliances. Our conversations with stakeholders suggest that effective work in these areas is likely to make a significant contribution towards enabling the realization of our shared vision.
Focus on critical themes
Childhood sexual violence is a nuanced problem, so it is difficult to boil it down without overly simplifying the issue. Still, ending childhood sexual violence means navigating a complex, global sociopolitical landscape. Focusing on critical areas, considered in the fuller context of our field, will help us take targeted, effective action across the world.
Through our conversations, we have identified six themes that are critical, perhaps under-represented elsewhere, and ripe with opportunity for cross-sector, cross-practice alliances. Our conversations with stakeholders suggest that effective work in these areas is likely to make a significant contribution towards enabling the realization of our shared vision.
Six critical themes ripe for cross-sector practice and alliances




Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors
We need to pay attention to the essential issues of alignment and resourcing across the field. Leaders and activists in the field, at all levels, need to be supported, financed and embraced as part of a system-wide effort. Long-term flexible funding should be available to all stakeholders, regardless of size or geography. And proven, successful interventions need funding to scale out, wherever they are. Addressing childhood sexual violence as a systemic problem requires a systemic response from a diverse and aligned community. National and regional groups will need support to grow and lead. In tackling CSV the field as a whole needs to seek out strong and productive synergies with stakeholders in other sectors.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background
Transforming social norms is critical to longer-term change. Shifting blame away from survivors or their families to perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them is a prerequisite for addressing the roots of CSV. It will help to grow a broad-based consensus that CSV is preventable. For the most part the move will start with shifting stereotypes and ingrained assumptions – celebrating survivors for their courage and resilience, viewing children as people with agency and autonomy who develop into adulthood not the property of their caretakers, abandoning gender stereotypes in favor of diversity and inclusion, and supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn
There is great concern in the field about the relatively new ‘institutional space’ that is the digital world online. Our stakeholders recognized the great benefits of this space for connection, for learning, for play and entertainment. Yet it also carries dangers, like other unattended spaces. It remains relatively lightly regulated at present. We need to see that change, with strong regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance, including strong global collaboration among national governments to enforce the regulation of digital platforms. Campaigning and activism have shown some success in seeking to hold tech companies accountable for their wider influence. Tech companies need to build on their investment in innovation to create safer environments. All companies should be embracing safe design practices, and committing to clean up their platforms by removing, reporting and preventing child sexual abuse material.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing
Our theory of change suggests that generating political will to prompt government action on the issue of childhood sexual violence is likely to be highly influential on the entire field. We heard many examples from stakeholders about the power of personal testimony, on their terms and when ready, to move political leaders to action. We need to see more of this – with advocates active in political spaces and driving political action, whilst also exploring more and better ways to enable children themselves to participate in the political and policy process. Broad movements and targeted campaigns will increase public awareness and demands for political action – increasingly within a frame that accepts ending childhood sexual violence as a realistic goal. We need to support political leaders and decision makers to take positive action and find ways to offer them gratitude and encouragement, beyond their own knowledge that they are doing the right thing.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale
Robust, high-quality research, funded across the globe and particularly in low-middle income countries will make a significant contribution to the sector. Prevention research is a particular priority. So too should be including currently marginalized groups in research studies, e.g. boys, children with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ children. Given the complexity of the issues involved, research that focuses on systemic, intersectional interventions with multiple outcomes will be especially valuable, building on what is currently an impressive but narrow base. Stakeholders also want to see evidence and research data put to good use, with locally developed, scalable solutions being recognized and funded.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective
All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations to protect children have a big part to play, so long as they are fully and consistently enforced. Public condemnation, reputational harm and material sanctions for failure also have a role. At the same time, we should celebrate governments and institutions that embrace change, honor the commitments they make, and privilege child protection. Private sector businesses can be incentivized to do the same. Where there is law in place strategic litigation can be used to promote accountability. And justice systems need to be reformed to become better fit for purpose, survivor- and child-centric, sensitive to trauma and contributing to healing.
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors
We need to pay attention to the essential issues of alignment and resourcing across the field. Leaders and activists in the field, at all levels, need to be supported, financed and embraced as part of a system-wide effort. Long-term flexible funding should be available to all stakeholders, regardless of size or geography. And proven, successful interventions need funding to scale out, wherever they are. Addressing childhood sexual violence as a systemic problem requires a systemic response from a diverse and aligned community. National and regional groups will need support to grow and lead. In tackling CSV the field as a whole needs to seek out strong and productive synergies with stakeholders in other sectors.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background
Transforming social norms is critical to longer-term change. Shifting blame away from survivors or their families to perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them is a prerequisite for addressing the roots of CSV. It will help to grow a broad-based consensus that CSV is preventable. For the most part the move will start with shifting stereotypes and ingrained assumptions – celebrating survivors for their courage and resilience, viewing children as people with agency and autonomy who develop into adulthood not the property of their caretakers, abandoning gender stereotypes in favor of diversity and inclusion, and supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn
There is great concern in the field about the relatively new ‘institutional space’ that is the digital world online. Our stakeholders recognized the great benefits of this space for connection, for learning, for play and entertainment. Yet it also carries dangers, like other unattended spaces. It remains relatively lightly regulated at present. We need to see that change, with strong regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance, including strong global collaboration among national governments to enforce the regulation of digital platforms. Campaigning and activism have shown some success in seeking to hold tech companies accountable for their wider influence. Tech companies need to build on their investment in innovation to create safer environments. All companies should be embracing safe design practices, and committing to clean up their platforms by removing, reporting and preventing child sexual abuse material.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing
Our theory of change suggests that generating political will to prompt government action on the issue of childhood sexual violence is likely to be highly influential on the entire field. We heard many examples from stakeholders about the power of personal testimony, on their terms and when ready, to move political leaders to action. We need to see more of this – with advocates active in political spaces and driving political action, whilst also exploring more and better ways to enable children themselves to participate in the political and policy process. Broad movements and targeted campaigns will increase public awareness and demands for political action – increasingly within a frame that accepts ending childhood sexual violence as a realistic goal. We need to support political leaders and decision makers to take positive action and find ways to offer them gratitude and encouragement, beyond their own knowledge that they are doing the right thing.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale
Robust, high-quality research, funded across the globe and particularly in low-middle income countries will make a significant contribution to the sector. Prevention research is a particular priority. So too should be including currently marginalized groups in research studies, e.g. boys, children with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ children. Given the complexity of the issues involved, research that focuses on systemic, intersectional interventions with multiple outcomes will be especially valuable, building on what is currently an impressive but narrow base. Stakeholders also want to see evidence and research data put to good use, with locally developed, scalable solutions being recognized and funded.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective
All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations to protect children have a big part to play, so long as they are fully and consistently enforced. Public condemnation, reputational harm and material sanctions for failure also have a role. At the same time, we should celebrate governments and institutions that embrace change, honor the commitments they make, and privilege child protection. Private sector businesses can be incentivized to do the same. Where there is law in place strategic litigation can be used to promote accountability. And justice systems need to be reformed to become better fit for purpose, survivor- and child-centric, sensitive to trauma and contributing to healing.
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors
We need to pay attention to the essential issues of alignment and resourcing across the field. Leaders and activists in the field, at all levels, need to be supported, financed and embraced as part of a system-wide effort. Long-term flexible funding should be available to all stakeholders, regardless of size or geography. And proven, successful interventions need funding to scale out, wherever they are. Addressing childhood sexual violence as a systemic problem requires a systemic response from a diverse and aligned community. National and regional groups will need support to grow and lead. In tackling CSV the field as a whole needs to seek out strong and productive synergies with stakeholders in other sectors.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background
Transforming social norms is critical to longer-term change. Shifting blame away from survivors or their families to perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them is a prerequisite for addressing the roots of CSV. It will help to grow a broad-based consensus that CSV is preventable. For the most part the move will start with shifting stereotypes and ingrained assumptions – celebrating survivors for their courage and resilience, viewing children as people with agency and autonomy who develop into adulthood not the property of their caretakers, abandoning gender stereotypes in favor of diversity and inclusion, and supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn
There is great concern in the field about the relatively new ‘institutional space’ that is the digital world online. Our stakeholders recognized the great benefits of this space for connection, for learning, for play and entertainment. Yet it also carries dangers, like other unattended spaces. It remains relatively lightly regulated at present. We need to see that change, with strong regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance, including strong global collaboration among national governments to enforce the regulation of digital platforms. Campaigning and activism have shown some success in seeking to hold tech companies accountable for their wider influence. Tech companies need to build on their investment in innovation to create safer environments. All companies should be embracing safe design practices, and committing to clean up their platforms by removing, reporting and preventing child sexual abuse material.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing
Our theory of change suggests that generating political will to prompt government action on the issue of childhood sexual violence is likely to be highly influential on the entire field. We heard many examples from stakeholders about the power of personal testimony, on their terms and when ready, to move political leaders to action. We need to see more of this – with advocates active in political spaces and driving political action, whilst also exploring more and better ways to enable children themselves to participate in the political and policy process. Broad movements and targeted campaigns will increase public awareness and demands for political action – increasingly within a frame that accepts ending childhood sexual violence as a realistic goal. We need to support political leaders and decision makers to take positive action and find ways to offer them gratitude and encouragement, beyond their own knowledge that they are doing the right thing.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale
Robust, high-quality research, funded across the globe and particularly in low-middle income countries will make a significant contribution to the sector. Prevention research is a particular priority. So too should be including currently marginalized groups in research studies, e.g. boys, children with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ children. Given the complexity of the issues involved, research that focuses on systemic, intersectional interventions with multiple outcomes will be especially valuable, building on what is currently an impressive but narrow base. Stakeholders also want to see evidence and research data put to good use, with locally developed, scalable solutions being recognized and funded.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective
All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations to protect children have a big part to play, so long as they are fully and consistently enforced. Public condemnation, reputational harm and material sanctions for failure also have a role. At the same time, we should celebrate governments and institutions that embrace change, honor the commitments they make, and privilege child protection. Private sector businesses can be incentivized to do the same. Where there is law in place strategic litigation can be used to promote accountability. And justice systems need to be reformed to become better fit for purpose, survivor- and child-centric, sensitive to trauma and contributing to healing.
Stakeholders working to end CSV are resourced, united and connected across sectors
We need to pay attention to the essential issues of alignment and resourcing across the field. Leaders and activists in the field, at all levels, need to be supported, financed and embraced as part of a system-wide effort. Long-term flexible funding should be available to all stakeholders, regardless of size or geography. And proven, successful interventions need funding to scale out, wherever they are. Addressing childhood sexual violence as a systemic problem requires a systemic response from a diverse and aligned community. National and regional groups will need support to grow and lead. In tackling CSV the field as a whole needs to seek out strong and productive synergies with stakeholders in other sectors.
Social norms shift to protect and nurture children and adolescents, regardless of gender or background
Transforming social norms is critical to longer-term change. Shifting blame away from survivors or their families to perpetrators and the systems, institutions and structures that facilitate them is a prerequisite for addressing the roots of CSV. It will help to grow a broad-based consensus that CSV is preventable. For the most part the move will start with shifting stereotypes and ingrained assumptions – celebrating survivors for their courage and resilience, viewing children as people with agency and autonomy who develop into adulthood not the property of their caretakers, abandoning gender stereotypes in favor of diversity and inclusion, and supporting adolescents to develop safe and healthy peer relationships.
Safe digital spaces where children can play and learn
There is great concern in the field about the relatively new ‘institutional space’ that is the digital world online. Our stakeholders recognized the great benefits of this space for connection, for learning, for play and entertainment. Yet it also carries dangers, like other unattended spaces. It remains relatively lightly regulated at present. We need to see that change, with strong regulation of tech companies and mechanisms to enforce compliance, including strong global collaboration among national governments to enforce the regulation of digital platforms. Campaigning and activism have shown some success in seeking to hold tech companies accountable for their wider influence. Tech companies need to build on their investment in innovation to create safer environments. All companies should be embracing safe design practices, and committing to clean up their platforms by removing, reporting and preventing child sexual abuse material.
Political will exists to end CSV, which is evident in action and financing
Our theory of change suggests that generating political will to prompt government action on the issue of childhood sexual violence is likely to be highly influential on the entire field. We heard many examples from stakeholders about the power of personal testimony, on their terms and when ready, to move political leaders to action. We need to see more of this – with advocates active in political spaces and driving political action, whilst also exploring more and better ways to enable children themselves to participate in the political and policy process. Broad movements and targeted campaigns will increase public awareness and demands for political action – increasingly within a frame that accepts ending childhood sexual violence as a realistic goal. We need to support political leaders and decision makers to take positive action and find ways to offer them gratitude and encouragement, beyond their own knowledge that they are doing the right thing.
Prevention, healing and justice efforts are rooted in evidence, with ability to scale
Robust, high-quality research, funded across the globe and particularly in low-middle income countries will make a significant contribution to the sector. Prevention research is a particular priority. So too should be including currently marginalized groups in research studies, e.g. boys, children with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ children. Given the complexity of the issues involved, research that focuses on systemic, intersectional interventions with multiple outcomes will be especially valuable, building on what is currently an impressive but narrow base. Stakeholders also want to see evidence and research data put to good use, with locally developed, scalable solutions being recognized and funded.
Accountability among governments and institutions is robust and effective
All our public and private institutions should be safe places. Laws and regulations to protect children have a big part to play, so long as they are fully and consistently enforced. Public condemnation, reputational harm and material sanctions for failure also have a role. At the same time, we should celebrate governments and institutions that embrace change, honor the commitments they make, and privilege child protection. Private sector businesses can be incentivized to do the same. Where there is law in place strategic litigation can be used to promote accountability. And justice systems need to be reformed to become better fit for purpose, survivor- and child-centric, sensitive to trauma and contributing to healing.
We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.
We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.
We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.
We need people doing the work their heart calls them to do, globally and locally, and at all levels.
Strengthening the field
Aside from these six critical themes, we also identified measures that can contribute to strengthening the field overall. We asked stakeholders what could be added or reevaluated to help organizations be more effective in realizing our collective vision.
Invest in capacity and leadership
Our field relies on civil society organizations, and their leaders, to drive actions to eliminate childhood sexual violence. We need to support, protect and develop these groups. We cannot expect to achieve our aims without investing in the means for action. We heard lots of calls for funding to help develop and spread specialist skills in the sector, for example training to engage with sensory-impaired individuals, lead trauma-informed practice, and to support leadership development.
Stakeholders also identified the need to grow an increased competence to facilitate difficult conversations within the field, exploring points of significant tension where they occur.
Strengthen our field’s infrastructure
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential. Stakeholders were excited to come together and speak with a shared voice, to support each other, to share resources and learning. It is essential to strengthen the collaborative infrastructure of our sector. That will contribute to effective movement building. Citing the global movement that has brought the climate emergency to prominence, stakeholders expressed desire to similarly “mobilize an ecosystem of change”.
Stronger campaigning to shift the landscape
Some stakeholders want shared communication resources to facilitate campaigning in our over-stretched sector, allowing groups to lift core messages, access sympathetic journalists and leverage key data with ease. There could also be shared learning and development resources to help groups embody effective 21st-century campaigning, activism and movement building that drives real change. The message should be positive, global in outlook, based in hope and informed by evidence to motivate action and change – being tough on issues but soft on people to account for personal experiences.
Address root causes
Social change work relies on three strands - scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep. Scaling up focuses on changing policies, regulations and laws. Scaling out looks to spread effective changes across geographies. Scaling deep is about shifting the underlying values and cultures that allow childhood sexual violence to happen.
In the CSV prevention space, scaling deep means listening to human experience alongside technical, scientific, and political ideas. One stakeholder commented:
Aside from these six critical themes, we also identified measures that can contribute to strengthening the field overall. We asked stakeholders what could be added or reevaluated to help organizations be more effective in realizing our collective vision.
Invest in capacity and leadership
Our field relies on civil society organizations, and their leaders, to drive actions to eliminate childhood sexual violence. We need to support, protect and develop these groups. We cannot expect to achieve our aims without investing in the means for action. We heard lots of calls for funding to help develop and spread specialist skills in the sector, for example training to engage with sensory-impaired individuals, lead trauma-informed practice, and to support leadership development.
Stakeholders also identified the need to grow an increased competence to facilitate difficult conversations within the field, exploring points of significant tension where they occur.
Strengthen our field’s infrastructure
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential. Stakeholders were excited to come together and speak with a shared voice, to support each other, to share resources and learning. It is essential to strengthen the collaborative infrastructure of our sector. That will contribute to effective movement building. Citing the global movement that has brought the climate emergency to prominence, stakeholders expressed desire to similarly “mobilize an ecosystem of change”.
Stronger campaigning to shift the landscape
Some stakeholders want shared communication resources to facilitate campaigning in our over-stretched sector, allowing groups to lift core messages, access sympathetic journalists and leverage key data with ease. There could also be shared learning and development resources to help groups embody effective 21st-century campaigning, activism and movement building that drives real change. The message should be positive, global in outlook, based in hope and informed by evidence to motivate action and change – being tough on issues but soft on people to account for personal experiences.
Address root causes
Social change work relies on three strands - scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep. Scaling up focuses on changing policies, regulations and laws. Scaling out looks to spread effective changes across geographies. Scaling deep is about shifting the underlying values and cultures that allow childhood sexual violence to happen.
In the CSV prevention space, scaling deep means listening to human experience alongside technical, scientific, and political ideas. One stakeholder commented:
Aside from these six critical themes, we also identified measures that can contribute to strengthening the field overall. We asked stakeholders what could be added or reevaluated to help organizations be more effective in realizing our collective vision.
Invest in capacity and leadership
Our field relies on civil society organizations, and their leaders, to drive actions to eliminate childhood sexual violence. We need to support, protect and develop these groups. We cannot expect to achieve our aims without investing in the means for action. We heard lots of calls for funding to help develop and spread specialist skills in the sector, for example training to engage with sensory-impaired individuals, lead trauma-informed practice, and to support leadership development.
Stakeholders also identified the need to grow an increased competence to facilitate difficult conversations within the field, exploring points of significant tension where they occur.
Strengthen our field’s infrastructure
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential. Stakeholders were excited to come together and speak with a shared voice, to support each other, to share resources and learning. It is essential to strengthen the collaborative infrastructure of our sector. That will contribute to effective movement building. Citing the global movement that has brought the climate emergency to prominence, stakeholders expressed desire to similarly “mobilize an ecosystem of change”.
Stronger campaigning to shift the landscape
Some stakeholders want shared communication resources to facilitate campaigning in our over-stretched sector, allowing groups to lift core messages, access sympathetic journalists and leverage key data with ease. There could also be shared learning and development resources to help groups embody effective 21st-century campaigning, activism and movement building that drives real change. The message should be positive, global in outlook, based in hope and informed by evidence to motivate action and change – being tough on issues but soft on people to account for personal experiences.
Address root causes
Social change work relies on three strands - scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep. Scaling up focuses on changing policies, regulations and laws. Scaling out looks to spread effective changes across geographies. Scaling deep is about shifting the underlying values and cultures that allow childhood sexual violence to happen.
In the CSV prevention space, scaling deep means listening to human experience alongside technical, scientific, and political ideas. One stakeholder commented:
Aside from these six critical themes, we also identified measures that can contribute to strengthening the field overall. We asked stakeholders what could be added or reevaluated to help organizations be more effective in realizing our collective vision.
Invest in capacity and leadership
Our field relies on civil society organizations, and their leaders, to drive actions to eliminate childhood sexual violence. We need to support, protect and develop these groups. We cannot expect to achieve our aims without investing in the means for action. We heard lots of calls for funding to help develop and spread specialist skills in the sector, for example training to engage with sensory-impaired individuals, lead trauma-informed practice, and to support leadership development.
Stakeholders also identified the need to grow an increased competence to facilitate difficult conversations within the field, exploring points of significant tension where they occur.
Strengthen our field’s infrastructure
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential. Stakeholders were excited to come together and speak with a shared voice, to support each other, to share resources and learning. It is essential to strengthen the collaborative infrastructure of our sector. That will contribute to effective movement building. Citing the global movement that has brought the climate emergency to prominence, stakeholders expressed desire to similarly “mobilize an ecosystem of change”.
Stronger campaigning to shift the landscape
Some stakeholders want shared communication resources to facilitate campaigning in our over-stretched sector, allowing groups to lift core messages, access sympathetic journalists and leverage key data with ease. There could also be shared learning and development resources to help groups embody effective 21st-century campaigning, activism and movement building that drives real change. The message should be positive, global in outlook, based in hope and informed by evidence to motivate action and change – being tough on issues but soft on people to account for personal experiences.
Address root causes
Social change work relies on three strands - scaling up, scaling out and scaling deep. Scaling up focuses on changing policies, regulations and laws. Scaling out looks to spread effective changes across geographies. Scaling deep is about shifting the underlying values and cultures that allow childhood sexual violence to happen.
In the CSV prevention space, scaling deep means listening to human experience alongside technical, scientific, and political ideas. One stakeholder commented:
“This is not a disease to be eradicated with a vaccine or a treatment. It is a social crisis.”
“This is not a disease to be eradicated with a vaccine or a treatment. It is a social crisis.”
“This is not a disease to be eradicated with a vaccine or a treatment. It is a social crisis.”
“This is not a disease to be eradicated with a vaccine or a treatment. It is a social crisis.”
Alongside technical interventions, we must engage in patient healing work to restore what perpetrators are missing and CSV takes away from survivors. As one stakeholder phrased it:
Alongside technical interventions, we must engage in patient healing work to restore what perpetrators are missing and CSV takes away from survivors. As one stakeholder phrased it:
Alongside technical interventions, we must engage in patient healing work to restore what perpetrators are missing and CSV takes away from survivors. As one stakeholder phrased it:
Alongside technical interventions, we must engage in patient healing work to restore what perpetrators are missing and CSV takes away from survivors. As one stakeholder phrased it:
“We should focus on healing and wholeness. Healing is a form of prevention. We must address people’s brokenness.”
“We should focus on healing and wholeness. Healing is a form of prevention. We must address people’s brokenness.”
“We should focus on healing and wholeness. Healing is a form of prevention. We must address people’s brokenness.”
“We should focus on healing and wholeness. Healing is a form of prevention. We must address people’s brokenness.”
Another stakeholder remarked on the “complex depths” of many abuse cases, explaining:
Another stakeholder remarked on the “complex depths” of many abuse cases, explaining:
Another stakeholder remarked on the “complex depths” of many abuse cases, explaining:
Another stakeholder remarked on the “complex depths” of many abuse cases, explaining:
“Parents are often abusers, peer-to-peer abuse is on the rise, and those abused themselves often become abusers in turn. Most abusers have a relationship with the children and young people they abuse, often within the family.”
“Parents are often abusers, peer-to-peer abuse is on the rise, and those abused themselves often become abusers in turn. Most abusers have a relationship with the children and young people they abuse, often within the family.”
“Parents are often abusers, peer-to-peer abuse is on the rise, and those abused themselves often become abusers in turn. Most abusers have a relationship with the children and young people they abuse, often within the family.”
“Parents are often abusers, peer-to-peer abuse is on the rise, and those abused themselves often become abusers in turn. Most abusers have a relationship with the children and young people they abuse, often within the family.”
Our conversations highlighted the need to allocate more resources to support children and families. If we can bring “the marginalized back from the margins”, where they are prey to exploitation and violence, we can fight social ills like childhood sexual violence.
Profit is also a powerful driver of practices that prevent societal healing, such as the exploitation of vulnerable children or the pornography industry. Scaling deep could also mean exploring how the economy facilitates harm, investigating philosopher Michael Sandel’s “moral limits of markets” and new concepts such as the wellbeing economy.
There are lots of other ways to scale deep, but the critical move remains the same: there must be space to explore underlying values, structures of power and the psychological depth evident in the human system. One stakeholder summed it up by saying:
Our conversations highlighted the need to allocate more resources to support children and families. If we can bring “the marginalized back from the margins”, where they are prey to exploitation and violence, we can fight social ills like childhood sexual violence.
Profit is also a powerful driver of practices that prevent societal healing, such as the exploitation of vulnerable children or the pornography industry. Scaling deep could also mean exploring how the economy facilitates harm, investigating philosopher Michael Sandel’s “moral limits of markets” and new concepts such as the wellbeing economy.
There are lots of other ways to scale deep, but the critical move remains the same: there must be space to explore underlying values, structures of power and the psychological depth evident in the human system. One stakeholder summed it up by saying:
Our conversations highlighted the need to allocate more resources to support children and families. If we can bring “the marginalized back from the margins”, where they are prey to exploitation and violence, we can fight social ills like childhood sexual violence.
Profit is also a powerful driver of practices that prevent societal healing, such as the exploitation of vulnerable children or the pornography industry. Scaling deep could also mean exploring how the economy facilitates harm, investigating philosopher Michael Sandel’s “moral limits of markets” and new concepts such as the wellbeing economy.
There are lots of other ways to scale deep, but the critical move remains the same: there must be space to explore underlying values, structures of power and the psychological depth evident in the human system. One stakeholder summed it up by saying:
Our conversations highlighted the need to allocate more resources to support children and families. If we can bring “the marginalized back from the margins”, where they are prey to exploitation and violence, we can fight social ills like childhood sexual violence.
Profit is also a powerful driver of practices that prevent societal healing, such as the exploitation of vulnerable children or the pornography industry. Scaling deep could also mean exploring how the economy facilitates harm, investigating philosopher Michael Sandel’s “moral limits of markets” and new concepts such as the wellbeing economy.
There are lots of other ways to scale deep, but the critical move remains the same: there must be space to explore underlying values, structures of power and the psychological depth evident in the human system. One stakeholder summed it up by saying:
“This is human work. It starts small and takes time. This is not a quick win, bang for the buck investment opportunity.”
“This is human work. It starts small and takes time. This is not a quick win, bang for the buck investment opportunity.”
“This is human work. It starts small and takes time. This is not a quick win, bang for the buck investment opportunity.”
“This is human work. It starts small and takes time. This is not a quick win, bang for the buck investment opportunity.”
This is the deeper work.
This is the deeper work.
This is the deeper work.
This is the deeper work.
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential.
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential.
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential.
From our first conversations, it became clear that our collective power holds tremendous potential.
Our Action Accelerators
We also found in our engagement with the field a strong desire for a coherent set of priority actions to align behind, actions that we know will make a difference, that will help advance the six critical themes we have identified and that, if pursued together at pace, will significantly change the landscape in the immediate future.
On their own, each accelerator is an example of something that can deliver transformative change over the next five years, with clear opportunities for action and organizations and people in place to facilitate it. Others are already working in this way, or may be inspired by these action accelerators to devise their own. Together, we believe they can help us realize our ultimate goal of a world free from childhood sexual violence.
Our Action Accelerators
We also found in our engagement with the field a strong desire for a coherent set of priority actions to align behind, actions that we know will make a difference, that will help advance the six critical themes we have identified and that, if pursued together at pace, will significantly change the landscape in the immediate future.
On their own, each accelerator is an example of something that can deliver transformative change over the next five years, with clear opportunities for action and organizations and people in place to facilitate it. Others are already working in this way, or may be inspired by these action accelerators to devise their own. Together, we believe they can help us realize our ultimate goal of a world free from childhood sexual violence.
Our Action Accelerators
We also found in our engagement with the field a strong desire for a coherent set of priority actions to align behind, actions that we know will make a difference, that will help advance the six critical themes we have identified and that, if pursued together at pace, will significantly change the landscape in the immediate future.
On their own, each accelerator is an example of something that can deliver transformative change over the next five years, with clear opportunities for action and organizations and people in place to facilitate it. Others are already working in this way, or may be inspired by these action accelerators to devise their own. Together, we believe they can help us realize our ultimate goal of a world free from childhood sexual violence.
Our Action Accelerators
We also found in our engagement with the field a strong desire for a coherent set of priority actions to align behind, actions that we know will make a difference, that will help advance the six critical themes we have identified and that, if pursued together at pace, will significantly change the landscape in the immediate future.
On their own, each accelerator is an example of something that can deliver transformative change over the next five years, with clear opportunities for action and organizations and people in place to facilitate it. Others are already working in this way, or may be inspired by these action accelerators to devise their own. Together, we believe they can help us realize our ultimate goal of a world free from childhood sexual violence.



1. Transform the narratives around childhood sexual violence by ending the culture of silence and centering prevention
The challenge
Changing the narratives that define CSV is complex. Narratives reflect the way we interpret the world and how it works. Shifting them can lead to difficult conversations about meaning, what is important and what must change.
To succeed in changing narratives, it’s essential to create hope-driven, action-oriented stories that center lived experiences and feel personal and compelling. They must be repeated often and adapted to new contexts, helping to reframe CSV for decision makers and change the core values of cultures and institutions.
Broadly, stakeholders agree changing the narratives is a top priority for CSV prevention. Current narratives perpetuate the silence, stigma, and shame that survivors bear rather than their abusers. They also breed misinformation around the scale and universal nature of the problem and fuel fatalism about its preventability.
The challenge
Changing the narratives that define CSV is complex. Narratives reflect the way we interpret the world and how it works. Shifting them can lead to difficult conversations about meaning, what is important and what must change.
To succeed in changing narratives, it’s essential to create hope-driven, action-oriented stories that center lived experiences and feel personal and compelling. They must be repeated often and adapted to new contexts, helping to reframe CSV for decision makers and change the core values of cultures and institutions.
Broadly, stakeholders agree changing the narratives is a top priority for CSV prevention. Current narratives perpetuate the silence, stigma, and shame that survivors bear rather than their abusers. They also breed misinformation around the scale and universal nature of the problem and fuel fatalism about its preventability.
The challenge
Changing the narratives that define CSV is complex. Narratives reflect the way we interpret the world and how it works. Shifting them can lead to difficult conversations about meaning, what is important and what must change.
To succeed in changing narratives, it’s essential to create hope-driven, action-oriented stories that center lived experiences and feel personal and compelling. They must be repeated often and adapted to new contexts, helping to reframe CSV for decision makers and change the core values of cultures and institutions.
Broadly, stakeholders agree changing the narratives is a top priority for CSV prevention. Current narratives perpetuate the silence, stigma, and shame that survivors bear rather than their abusers. They also breed misinformation around the scale and universal nature of the problem and fuel fatalism about its preventability.
The challenge
Changing the narratives that define CSV is complex. Narratives reflect the way we interpret the world and how it works. Shifting them can lead to difficult conversations about meaning, what is important and what must change.
To succeed in changing narratives, it’s essential to create hope-driven, action-oriented stories that center lived experiences and feel personal and compelling. They must be repeated often and adapted to new contexts, helping to reframe CSV for decision makers and change the core values of cultures and institutions.
Broadly, stakeholders agree changing the narratives is a top priority for CSV prevention. Current narratives perpetuate the silence, stigma, and shame that survivors bear rather than their abusers. They also breed misinformation around the scale and universal nature of the problem and fuel fatalism about its preventability.
Where we can make a difference
We must normalize conversations around CSV – a topic currently hidden by a global culture of silence – including bringing more attention to incest and abuse in the home. CSV is considered a private and highly stigmatized topic, often avoided even in the confines of families and intimate relationships. Normalizing conversations around CSV would encourage collective responsibility, reduce the stigma and shame that prevents survivors disclosing abuse, and make CSV a social issue that policy makers are less likely to ignore. This process will look and feel different across settings, but the underlying goal will remain the same.
The new narratives around CSV will shift and evolve as it is embraced in different contexts and by different messengers. Advocates will need to start where people are, remaining flexible in how they start conversations without compromising on principles. They will also need to find the right messengers, i.e. context-specific, credible messengers who grasp and embrace the vision to enhance the new narratives’ integrity.
Transforming the narratives around CSV will support prevention, healing and justice in multiple ways:
increase awareness of CSV and the evidence-based solutions that could end it;
help shift the stigma and blame from survivors to the systems and institutions that facilitate their abuse;
increase the number of children willing to disclose their abuse;
heighten parents’ and caregivers’ awareness of risk and services to prevent and respond to harm;
open dialogue on CSV in policy arenas; and
challenge the impunity for people and institutions that expose children to risks and abuse.
Prioritizing prevention would put more pressure on every person who engages with children to mitigate risks. Encouraging more sex education and conversations with young people about sexual health might also find its place in such a narrative. Finally, promoting more unified, informed, and consistent narratives of hope and progress around CSV would help the public rally behind our field and demand change.
Where we can make a difference
We must normalize conversations around CSV – a topic currently hidden by a global culture of silence – including bringing more attention to incest and abuse in the home. CSV is considered a private and highly stigmatized topic, often avoided even in the confines of families and intimate relationships. Normalizing conversations around CSV would encourage collective responsibility, reduce the stigma and shame that prevents survivors disclosing abuse, and make CSV a social issue that policy makers are less likely to ignore. This process will look and feel different across settings, but the underlying goal will remain the same.
The new narratives around CSV will shift and evolve as it is embraced in different contexts and by different messengers. Advocates will need to start where people are, remaining flexible in how they start conversations without compromising on principles. They will also need to find the right messengers, i.e. context-specific, credible messengers who grasp and embrace the vision to enhance the new narratives’ integrity.
Transforming the narratives around CSV will support prevention, healing and justice in multiple ways:
increase awareness of CSV and the evidence-based solutions that could end it;
help shift the stigma and blame from survivors to the systems and institutions that facilitate their abuse;
increase the number of children willing to disclose their abuse;
heighten parents’ and caregivers’ awareness of risk and services to prevent and respond to harm;
open dialogue on CSV in policy arenas; and
challenge the impunity for people and institutions that expose children to risks and abuse.
Prioritizing prevention would put more pressure on every person who engages with children to mitigate risks. Encouraging more sex education and conversations with young people about sexual health might also find its place in such a narrative. Finally, promoting more unified, informed, and consistent narratives of hope and progress around CSV would help the public rally behind our field and demand change.
Where we can make a difference
We must normalize conversations around CSV – a topic currently hidden by a global culture of silence – including bringing more attention to incest and abuse in the home. CSV is considered a private and highly stigmatized topic, often avoided even in the confines of families and intimate relationships. Normalizing conversations around CSV would encourage collective responsibility, reduce the stigma and shame that prevents survivors disclosing abuse, and make CSV a social issue that policy makers are less likely to ignore. This process will look and feel different across settings, but the underlying goal will remain the same.
The new narratives around CSV will shift and evolve as it is embraced in different contexts and by different messengers. Advocates will need to start where people are, remaining flexible in how they start conversations without compromising on principles. They will also need to find the right messengers, i.e. context-specific, credible messengers who grasp and embrace the vision to enhance the new narratives’ integrity.
Transforming the narratives around CSV will support prevention, healing and justice in multiple ways:
increase awareness of CSV and the evidence-based solutions that could end it;
help shift the stigma and blame from survivors to the systems and institutions that facilitate their abuse;
increase the number of children willing to disclose their abuse;
heighten parents’ and caregivers’ awareness of risk and services to prevent and respond to harm;
open dialogue on CSV in policy arenas; and
challenge the impunity for people and institutions that expose children to risks and abuse.
Prioritizing prevention would put more pressure on every person who engages with children to mitigate risks. Encouraging more sex education and conversations with young people about sexual health might also find its place in such a narrative. Finally, promoting more unified, informed, and consistent narratives of hope and progress around CSV would help the public rally behind our field and demand change.
Where we can make a difference
We must normalize conversations around CSV – a topic currently hidden by a global culture of silence – including bringing more attention to incest and abuse in the home. CSV is considered a private and highly stigmatized topic, often avoided even in the confines of families and intimate relationships. Normalizing conversations around CSV would encourage collective responsibility, reduce the stigma and shame that prevents survivors disclosing abuse, and make CSV a social issue that policy makers are less likely to ignore. This process will look and feel different across settings, but the underlying goal will remain the same.
The new narratives around CSV will shift and evolve as it is embraced in different contexts and by different messengers. Advocates will need to start where people are, remaining flexible in how they start conversations without compromising on principles. They will also need to find the right messengers, i.e. context-specific, credible messengers who grasp and embrace the vision to enhance the new narratives’ integrity.
Transforming the narratives around CSV will support prevention, healing and justice in multiple ways:
increase awareness of CSV and the evidence-based solutions that could end it;
help shift the stigma and blame from survivors to the systems and institutions that facilitate their abuse;
increase the number of children willing to disclose their abuse;
heighten parents’ and caregivers’ awareness of risk and services to prevent and respond to harm;
open dialogue on CSV in policy arenas; and
challenge the impunity for people and institutions that expose children to risks and abuse.
Prioritizing prevention would put more pressure on every person who engages with children to mitigate risks. Encouraging more sex education and conversations with young people about sexual health might also find its place in such a narrative. Finally, promoting more unified, informed, and consistent narratives of hope and progress around CSV would help the public rally behind our field and demand change.
Opportunities
There is momentum to transform the narratives around CSV.
Existing programs, including school-based prevention programs, to normalize conversations around CSV are ready to scale. These programs are creating broad-based conversations around CSV, involving parents, neighbors and policy makers, among other groups.
Some governments are also taking positive action to normalize conversations around CSV.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are taking action to strengthen their messaging around CSV, including partnering with messaging-focused and social change groups, and those working on narrative change in adjacent fields.
Media (social, digital and print) can be used to amplify messages, repeat, and adapt stories for new contexts, and reach millions more people.
Survivor advocates are willing to engage in more open dialogue and advocacy. This makes CSV personal and ensures we lead with the lived experience of survivors and their families.
Emerging movements are reinforcing messages of open dialogue and prevention. They are supporting their members to tell new stories with conviction and confidence.
Opportunities
There is momentum to transform the narratives around CSV.
Existing programs, including school-based prevention programs, to normalize conversations around CSV are ready to scale. These programs are creating broad-based conversations around CSV, involving parents, neighbors and policy makers, among other groups.
Some governments are also taking positive action to normalize conversations around CSV.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are taking action to strengthen their messaging around CSV, including partnering with messaging-focused and social change groups, and those working on narrative change in adjacent fields.
Media (social, digital and print) can be used to amplify messages, repeat, and adapt stories for new contexts, and reach millions more people.
Survivor advocates are willing to engage in more open dialogue and advocacy. This makes CSV personal and ensures we lead with the lived experience of survivors and their families.
Emerging movements are reinforcing messages of open dialogue and prevention. They are supporting their members to tell new stories with conviction and confidence.
Opportunities
There is momentum to transform the narratives around CSV.
Existing programs, including school-based prevention programs, to normalize conversations around CSV are ready to scale. These programs are creating broad-based conversations around CSV, involving parents, neighbors and policy makers, among other groups.
Some governments are also taking positive action to normalize conversations around CSV.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are taking action to strengthen their messaging around CSV, including partnering with messaging-focused and social change groups, and those working on narrative change in adjacent fields.
Media (social, digital and print) can be used to amplify messages, repeat, and adapt stories for new contexts, and reach millions more people.
Survivor advocates are willing to engage in more open dialogue and advocacy. This makes CSV personal and ensures we lead with the lived experience of survivors and their families.
Emerging movements are reinforcing messages of open dialogue and prevention. They are supporting their members to tell new stories with conviction and confidence.
Opportunities
There is momentum to transform the narratives around CSV.
Existing programs, including school-based prevention programs, to normalize conversations around CSV are ready to scale. These programs are creating broad-based conversations around CSV, involving parents, neighbors and policy makers, among other groups.
Some governments are also taking positive action to normalize conversations around CSV.
Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are taking action to strengthen their messaging around CSV, including partnering with messaging-focused and social change groups, and those working on narrative change in adjacent fields.
Media (social, digital and print) can be used to amplify messages, repeat, and adapt stories for new contexts, and reach millions more people.
Survivor advocates are willing to engage in more open dialogue and advocacy. This makes CSV personal and ensures we lead with the lived experience of survivors and their families.
Emerging movements are reinforcing messages of open dialogue and prevention. They are supporting their members to tell new stories with conviction and confidence.
Real world example
Arpan in India has run the Child Safety Week campaign for the past five years to create awareness about childhood sexual abuse. It enlists influencers or celebrities to talk about the issue and to address the cultural norms at the root of the issue. Constant repetition through the media, advocacy, and mass campaigns is slowly shifting the public mindset about preventing CSV.
Real world example
Arpan in India has run the Child Safety Week campaign for the past five years to create awareness about childhood sexual abuse. It enlists influencers or celebrities to talk about the issue and to address the cultural norms at the root of the issue. Constant repetition through the media, advocacy, and mass campaigns is slowly shifting the public mindset about preventing CSV.
Real world example
Arpan in India has run the Child Safety Week campaign for the past five years to create awareness about childhood sexual abuse. It enlists influencers or celebrities to talk about the issue and to address the cultural norms at the root of the issue. Constant repetition through the media, advocacy, and mass campaigns is slowly shifting the public mindset about preventing CSV.
Real world example
Arpan in India has run the Child Safety Week campaign for the past five years to create awareness about childhood sexual abuse. It enlists influencers or celebrities to talk about the issue and to address the cultural norms at the root of the issue. Constant repetition through the media, advocacy, and mass campaigns is slowly shifting the public mindset about preventing CSV.
The next steps
During the next five years, these shifts have the power to transform the narratives around CSV.
Promote narratives that normalize conversations around CSV, amplifying evidence-based solutions and above all generating hope.
Ensure these narratives link policy with action.
Strengthen the capacity of advocates to share new narratives, with support for global and national coalitions that advocate for cross-sectoral action and policy change.
Design broad-based public campaigns to promote the new narratives, shifting the blame and breaking the silence around CSV.
Support CSOs – individually and as coalitions – to track and counter messages that work against the new narratives of hope and prevention, with tools and mechanisms developed to facilitate this process.
Shift the stigma of CSV from survivors to the individuals, institutions and systems that facilitate their abuse, so survivors of all ages feel believed, respected and celebrated for their courage and resilience rather than stigmatized.
The next steps
During the next five years, these shifts have the power to transform the narratives around CSV.
Promote narratives that normalize conversations around CSV, amplifying evidence-based solutions and above all generating hope.
Ensure these narratives link policy with action.
Strengthen the capacity of advocates to share new narratives, with support for global and national coalitions that advocate for cross-sectoral action and policy change.
Design broad-based public campaigns to promote the new narratives, shifting the blame and breaking the silence around CSV.
Support CSOs – individually and as coalitions – to track and counter messages that work against the new narratives of hope and prevention, with tools and mechanisms developed to facilitate this process.
Shift the stigma of CSV from survivors to the individuals, institutions and systems that facilitate their abuse, so survivors of all ages feel believed, respected and celebrated for their courage and resilience rather than stigmatized.
The next steps
During the next five years, these shifts have the power to transform the narratives around CSV.
Promote narratives that normalize conversations around CSV, amplifying evidence-based solutions and above all generating hope.
Ensure these narratives link policy with action.
Strengthen the capacity of advocates to share new narratives, with support for global and national coalitions that advocate for cross-sectoral action and policy change.
Design broad-based public campaigns to promote the new narratives, shifting the blame and breaking the silence around CSV.
Support CSOs – individually and as coalitions – to track and counter messages that work against the new narratives of hope and prevention, with tools and mechanisms developed to facilitate this process.
Shift the stigma of CSV from survivors to the individuals, institutions and systems that facilitate their abuse, so survivors of all ages feel believed, respected and celebrated for their courage and resilience rather than stigmatized.
The next steps
During the next five years, these shifts have the power to transform the narratives around CSV.
Promote narratives that normalize conversations around CSV, amplifying evidence-based solutions and above all generating hope.
Ensure these narratives link policy with action.
Strengthen the capacity of advocates to share new narratives, with support for global and national coalitions that advocate for cross-sectoral action and policy change.
Design broad-based public campaigns to promote the new narratives, shifting the blame and breaking the silence around CSV.
Support CSOs – individually and as coalitions – to track and counter messages that work against the new narratives of hope and prevention, with tools and mechanisms developed to facilitate this process.
Shift the stigma of CSV from survivors to the individuals, institutions and systems that facilitate their abuse, so survivors of all ages feel believed, respected and celebrated for their courage and resilience rather than stigmatized.