Alumbra: Knowledge and Practice Community for the Prevention of Sexual Violence against Children in Mexico

• In Latin America, estimates of sexual violence prevalence range between 3%-6% for boys and 13%-16% for girls (Casas-Muñoz et al., 2023).
• In Mexico, 12.6% of women reported sexual violence before the age of 15; equivalent to 6.4 million women (INEGI, 2021b).

In response to persistently high rates of sexual violence, the Early Institute, a think tank based in Mexico City, Mexico, conducted an initial assessment and identified critical deficiencies in multisectoral interventions. Consequently, in 2018, Alumbra was launched as a national initiative to prevent sexual violence against children. Its goal was to create a knowledge and practice community that unites over 40 national stakeholders, including NGOs, governmental institutions and international organizations.

Central to its efforts is a digital platform which consolidates official statistics, educational resources, reports for prevention and a directory for legal, psychological, and medical support services.

Alumbra’s community has become a key reference for equipping caregivers, practitioners and policymakers.

The community offers an innovative, evidence-based model to prevent sexual violence against children. Its experience shows how culturally adaptable frameworks can strengthen global protection efforts.