In most cases, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of children are inflicted by someone the child knows, in their circle of trust, and causes lifelong damage to the child’s physical and mental health.
To prevent these crimes - which are unreported in 90% of the cases -, and protect the victims, the Council of Europe’s Committee of Ministers adopted the Lanzarote Convention and launched the ONE in FIVE Campaign.
The European Day for the Protection of Children Against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse was set up in 2015 and is celebrated each year on November 18th to raise public awareness (for example by carrying out different kinds of actions and providing awareness-raising material) as well as to promote the ratification and implementation of the Lanzarote Convention.