The Council of Europe today made a call on public authorities and the sports movement to take determined action to prevent sexual abuse of children. Under the theme “Start to talk”, it launched in Madrid an international awareness-raising initiative urging governments, sports clubs, associations and federations, as well as athletes, coaches and parents to take concrete measures to prevent and respond to abuse.
This call for action aims to extend to sports the reach of the Lanzarote Convention, a treaty focused on preventing and combating sexual exploitation and abuse of children.
Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland said: “Child sex abuse is a most wicked crime and we must do everything we can to eradicate it in all areas of society, including in sports. Start to Talk is our call to public authorities and the sports movement to give children a voice and to help prevent and respond to abuse”.
