World Day of Prevention of, and Healing from, Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.
My work calendar regularly flags up awareness days. Most recently, 18th November World Day of Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence.
There seems to be a day, week or campaign for almost everything and I am often left wondering what difference they make. Some are powerful, raising global awareness, creating space for difficult conversations and issues that would otherwise be ignored visible.
The stated aims of 18th November include raising awareness of the scale of child sexual abuse – Together for Girls (2026) estimates that in the last year, 82 million girls and 69 million boys experienced some form of sexual violence globally – approximately three girls and two boys every second. In the UK it is estimated that one in four girls and one in nine boys will be sexual abused before the age of 16. The figures are staggering but they are not new.
We all know child sexual abuse happens, we know that many children do not disclose at the time or for many years afterwards. We know that the impacts can be lifelong, affecting mental, emotional, behavioural and physical wellbeing.
We also know what good specialist support and early intervention look like.
So, I find myself asking: ‘What will be different on 18th November? Are we, as a society and as individuals, prepared to act on what we know?’
Prevention work often focuses on teaching children about consent, online safety, healthy relationships and how to disclose to a trusted adult. All of which is incredibly important, but children cannot be responsible for preventing adults, or other young people, from abusing them.
Real prevention means adults recognising the signs, professionals asking difficult questions, schools creating safer environments and cultures, parents talking openly about boundaries and relationships, and services intervening early when harmful sexual behaviour emerges. It also means investing in specialist services.
And this is where awareness campaigns often become uncomfortable.
We see organisations signing pledges, wearing badges, sharing graphics and making public statements about tackling violence and abuse. These things only have value if they lead to action. Without action, they are just virtue signalling without substance.
Movements like the Reclaim the Night March (26th November, 6pm start outside Boston Tea Party) still feel powerful because they are rooted in activism and solidarity, with women and supporters physically taking up public space and saying that violence should not restrict their lives.
White Ribbon and the 16 Days of Activism campaigns have important principles too, particularly around men challenging violence against women and harmful attitudes. But wearing a ribbon or holding a one-day conference cannot be the only result.
An organisation cannot credibly pledge its commitment to ending violence against women and girls while supporting and implementing decisions that weaken specialist services. A commissioner cannot encourage survivors to disclose abuse while simultaneously reducing the support available when they do. But that is what is happening.
Specialist sexual violence services are under enormous pressure. Funding is short-term, waiting lists are growing and funding cuts mean that experienced staff are being lost. Some areas are merging specialist provision into broader services in the name of so-called efficiency. But whilst there is an overlap between domestic abuse and sexual violence, they are not interchangeable. Different experiences require different expertise.
Saving money by removing specialisms may make a spreadsheet look neater. It does not necessarily make support better for survivors.
So perhaps the most practical use of awareness campaigns is to not simply raise awareness but to ask what changes afterwards.
Did a teacher recognise something sooner? Did a parent start an important conversation? Did a commissioner protect specialist provision? Did a child get help earlier? Did a survivor find somewhere safe to turn?
Campaigns matter but only if they lead somewhere.
So, by all means, share the graphic, attend the event and make the pledge but then ask yourself ‘What are we going to do differently afterwards?’
Jocelyn Anderson, CEO, WMRSASC.
Published in the Worcester News, 10th November, 2026.