Global Report

A Vision To Zero: A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence

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.

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. 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. 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.

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Global Report Date:

May 22, 2025

Region:

Global

Topics:

Child Sexual Abuse

A Vision To Zero: A Roadmap to Ending Childhood Sexual Violence

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Getting To Zero: The Evidence to End Childhood Sexual Violence

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Research Objectives:

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 wit

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. A

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.