Break the Silence campaign

The initiative, part of the Break the Silence Campaign invites schools to create a mural, designed and painted by its students to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and incest. The ministry in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund launched the Break the Silence Campaign as a government-led initiative on January 15, 2014. The campaign involves various strategies aimed at mobilising key stakeholders in an effort to reduce child sexual abuse in Trinidad and Tobago.

To date 15 schools nationwide have participated in the initiative, which involves, in addition to the wall painting activity, an interactive session on Child rights and child sexual abuse with the participating school. All painted walls will be photographed and used as part of a mass media campaign to promote the initiative and to consolidate the message throughout the national community. The project will be suspended during the July/August vacation, but will continue in the new academic year, said a media release from the ministry. In the coming months, the Break the Silence Campaign will also feature a male-focused media campaign.

The public is encouraged to Break the Silence on child sexual abuse and call ChildLine at 800-4321 or the Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago at 800-2014 or 996.