Vicki Bernadet Foundation Gives a Voice to Child Sexual Abuse Victims
On the occasion of the International Day for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, the Vicki Bernadet Foundation, a leading organisation in the fight against child sexual abuse (CSA) has launched its new awareness campaign, 'A Minute of No Silence'. This initiative seeks to focus on raising a voice for victims of child sexual abuse.
Created altruistically by Ogilvy, with production and post-production by Hogarth, 'A Minute of No Silence' represents the seventh campaign the agency has carried out for the organisation. With this new initiative, the Vicki Bernadet Foundation redoubles its efforts to raise awareness in society, which is crucial for the necessary protection of children.
This initiative challenges the tradition of observing silence in tribute to victims, emphasising that, for victims of child sexual abuse, silence is not a tribute but part of the problem. Through a striking commercial, the audio visual piece shows how, after an initial minute of silence, it is broken by the voices of survivors who name both the victims and their abusers – teachers, relatives, monitors – highlighting the proximity and betrayed trust in most cases. With dynamic editing and visual effects that reflect the distortion of reality experienced by children, the campaign culminates with a call to action: "Let's raise our voices for victims of child sexual abuse," urging society to break the silence and act.
Enrique Almodóvar, creative director at Ogilvy in Barcelona, states that “we have been working against child sexual abuse for over six years. During that time, we have tried to address the problem from all kinds of perspectives, always based on different data and making visible the various facets of this tragedy. But this year, after six or seven campaigns, we set ourselves a greater challenge. We asked ourselves if 'traditional' campaigns are the most effective way to give visibility to the cause, which is why we wanted to launch an initiative rather than just a campaign. We realised that the way we pay tribute to victims of any tragedy (by observing silence) is precisely the same way abusers commit their aggressions. Silence, secrecy, darkness... these are the abusers' best allies, and what better way to denounce this than through the mythical minutes of silence that are regularly observed.”
For her part, Roser Olivella, art director, states that "observing a minute of silence has always been a way of showing respect and tribute to victims. But in the case of child sexual abuse, that silence causes harm, it prejudices them. To stay silent is to allow the abuse to remain hidden, to remain a secret. Only by breaking the silence can we move towards a society truly committed to a safe childhood."
Alarming figures
In the context of this initiative, the Foundation highlights an alarming statistic: almost a third (28.9%) of young Spanish people aged 18 to 30 report having suffered sexual violence during their childhood or adolescence. This figure, devastating in itself, is set against an even more worrying backdrop: 48.1% of these young people experienced psychological violence and 40.5% experienced physical violence during their formative years. These data paint a bleak picture of child protection in Spain and underscore the urgency of action
Vicki Bernadet, president of the Foundation and a survivor of child sexual abuse, states that “despite the progress represented by legislative changes and active policies that work on violence prevention and commitment to defending children's rights, child sexual abuse continues to be met with individual rejection. As a result, these necessary advances only occur through education, psychology professionals, or legislators. Currently, we have not managed to break the glass ceiling that families and citizens represent. We must find a way to establish a global and community-wide responsibility for the protection of children. Adults must listen without fear and with the ability to believe them, help them, support them, and protect them. Many victims believe they are alone, with no one to understand them.”
Child sexual abuse affects one in 5=five boys and girls before they turn 17. Sadly, the majority do not receive the necessary help; in fact, 60% will never receive it. Furthermore, the silence surrounding this problem is devastating, as 85% of those affected do not disclose the abuse until adulthood, which hinders recovery and justice.
Over 10.000 cases handled and 40.000 people trained
Over the years, the Vicki Bernadet Foundation has accumulated 10,084 requests for assistance and has achieved broad participation in its training programs, with 40,035 people benefiting from the training provided. Furthermore, its work has had a significant public impact, reaching 725 media appearances.
A qualitative leap in training for child protection
For the first time, the Vicki Bernadet Foundation and the University of Barcelona have underscored the fundamental importance of collaboration to address complex challenges, maximise resources, and broaden the impact of child protection in society.
Both institutions are organising a new postgraduate program, the Certificate of expert in Coexistence Coordination, Coeducation, and Well-being, and Protection Delegates (2025 - 2026), which represents an unprecedented qualitative leap in specialised training essential for a shift in the social model concerning the defence of the rights of children and adolescents. This postgraduate program constitutes an efficient professionalisation strategy in the community management of violence against children, enhancing capacities and skills to build safe environments aligned with the standards of the Law for the Protection of Children and Adolescents (LOPIVI), in organisations and educational centres.
