Fighting violence against children in France

Children's rights are still unknown in France and sexual violence against children remains a taboo subject. It is necessary to work with children in schools so that they understand their rights, and to help them identify situations they might experience that are neither natural nor legitimate. I want to commit myself to promoting the rights of the child so that children can be respected and heard as they should be.

I was able to attend educational workshops on the risks of the Internet and social networks in elementary school classes. I was astonished to learn how early the children were using social media such as Tik Tok or Snapchat. Some of the children talked about the harassment they experienced on these social networks, and the discrimination they suffered because of their weight, their skin color, etc.

The sadness with which they mentioned these subjects shows the reality in which they grow up. From 8-9 years old, children are surrounded by screens, and they suffer the consequences from a very young age (both in terms of physical and mental health).

I knew about the risks of social networks and that they represented a means for harassment and certain violent acts. However, observing and hearing it so often from children had a profound effect on me.

Addressing the topic in class also allows us to raise awareness among teachers, especially about the risks of screens. Because the digital use of children starts at an increasingly early age, the Internet and social networks have become a hunting ground for predators...

We would like to thank Lena for her involvement during our workshops, following her internship until June.

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