Call on Chancellor Scholz & G7 Heads of State and Government to Lead Action to End Childhood Sexual Violence

Survivors of childhood sexual violence call on Chancellor Scholz, G7 leaders, and the Government of Germany in its G7 presidency role to make ambitious and transformative commitments to end all forms of sexual violence against children and adolescents, and to include this as a priority for action in the G7 Leader’s Summit Agenda.

Survivor Mobilization & G7 Summit Advocacy

Sexual violence is the great silent scourge of our time. Shrouded in secrecy, it strikes individuals, shakes families, and ravages communities in every single corner of the world. This is especially true when it comes to all children and adolescents. The COVID-19 pandemic os significantly increasing child sexual abuse and exploitation (CSAE) online and directly, as well as, a greater lack of access to prevention interventions and response services for those who experience abuse.

For too long, sexual violence has been veiled in silence, engulfed in shame, and sheltered by impunity. That changes now. The Brave Movement is a new, soon to be launched powerful and global survivor-led movement to end sexual violence against children. Supported by a generous $10M grant from the Oak Foundation, this advocacy movement is gearing up to become a powerful global force for change–beginning with G7 countries.

The Brave Movement is mobilizing survivor networks and survivor leaders from all G7 countries. This G7 Survivors Task Force has representatives from every G7 country and is chaired by two survivor leaders, Wibke Müller from the German Survivors Council, and Matthias Katsch, spokesperson of the Survivors Initiative ECKIGER Tisch and member of the Independent Inquiry into CSAE.  Our mobilization and advocacy efforts will include an April Survivor’s Summit and call to action and culminate in advocacy during the June G7 Leaders summit in Schloss Elmau.

G7 Leadership to End Childhood Sexual Violence

Building on the UK’s 2021 G7 Interior and Security Minister’s  Commitment to address online child sexual exploitation and abuse, there is an opportunity to show continued leadership by the G7 and by the Government of Germany to address the full continuum of CSAE, both on-line and off-line. There is a need for coordinated (G7) international action, rather than just national action, including policies on online sexual violence, trafficking, and Mobilization of resources to accelerate action in low and middle income countries.

Germany has already shown unique leadership on this issue, which can be further elevated and serve as an example to other countries in the G7 and beyond. In addition to their commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, which includes a target on eliminating CSAE, over the past 12 years Germany has invested in four critical initiatives: the Independent Commissioner for CSAE, the Survivors Council as a political advisory body, the Independent Inquiry into CSAE, and the German Stakeholder Forum on CSAE. All of these were welcomed by the German Bundestag, and the new German government committed to doing more.

The time to act is now. German survivors and survivors from across G7 countries are ready to mobilize together and demand action in the coming months. We call on the German government to mobilize the G7 Heads of State and Government to make bold and transformational commitments to end childhood sexual violence as fast as possible.

Contact Information:

Wibke Müller
wibke.mueller@betroffenenrat-ubskm.de

Matthias Katsch
matthias.katsch@eckiger-tisch.de

Dr. Paul Zeitz
Interim Movement Executive Coordinator
Brave Movement
drpaulzeitz@gmail.com