Break the Silence is a unique project bringing four Cannes-awarded film directors together with the purpose of using film as a tool to break the culture of silence around abuse and sexual exploitation of children. Film have the ability to engage our senses and emotions, creating opportunities for reflections and discussions.
Parkgömmet is a unique game based on research aiming to increase children’s risk awareness online when it comes to sexual grooming.The game, in conjunction with the guiding material for the follow-up dialogue, is intended to be used in schools and directed to children 8-10 years old.
The game provides first-hand concrete experience of choices and potential outcomes of online contacts in a safe environment and serve as a digital tool to meet the digital challenges. It bridges the cognitive maturity of younger children and the reasoning capabilities required for understanding potential future problems of exposing oneself.
The theme is a park where each player hides a treasure and gets in return a set of clues to the hiding place. During the game an unknown character sends messages similar to online chats and text messages, trying to manipulate the players to give up their clues by taking pictures. The players can choose to reveal a clue bearing in mind it may or may not be a good idea in the long run.The game mechanics are based on unique research of authentic online dialogues from closed Swedish forums, between children and later convicted perpetrators.
The research carried out by the university of Skövde provides real-world insight into perpetrators’ tactics and strategies, some of which have been transferred into game events, but in a non-sexual and non-violent format.The game consists of a classic board game, a computer game and augmented reality (AR) technology. The AR technology transforms the basic picture on the board into an exciting 3D world.The game evaluations with young players show that the participating children perceived the game as fun. It also raises questions regarding online behaviors.
The game experience will be discussed during the follow-dialogue lead by an adult. The conversation will be facilitated by a guiding material and include subjects such as self-awareness, boundaries and the rights of the child in particular from an online perspective.The idea of investigating whether a computer game could be used to prevent online sexual grooming came from Change Attitude. The University of Skövde was contacted by Change Attitude in 2013 and thanks to the generous support of the Swedish Foundation Sten A Olssons Stiftelse för Forskning och Kultur, a pre-study was carried out during 2014-2015 by the University in Skövde, which resulted in a working prototype.
Thanks to the wonderful financial support of the Swedish Postal Code Foundation and World Childhood Foundation (sponsor of the University of Skövde) the prototype has now been developed into a deliverable game by the Swedish company IUS Innovation and will distributed in conjunction with the guiding material to all municipal schools for free in Sweden during autumn 2019 and spring 2020.
Please contact us for further information.
Change Attitude is a global culture foundation. Founded in Sweden 2011 by Ulla Lemberg, photographer and documentary filmmaker.
Millions of children are abused daily around the world. Facts and figures are clear. Conventions and regional frameworks condemn the violence but still there’s no signs of decrease.These horrific crimes against children must be prioritized in al levels and the silence around these crimes must end.
The vision of Change Attitude is that no child shall be abused or victim of sexual exploitation. Change Attitude believe in the power of culture to break the silence surrounding these crimes and to emotionally touch people for long term engagement.
Change Attitude creates emotional knowledge – “cultural tools” – to be used to raise awareness and to increase the efforts against abuse and sexual exploitation of children in order to eliminate these crimes. We collaborate with child rights organizations around the world, reinforcing the great work they are doing, with the power of culture.
Change Attitude initiates, collaborates and use different kind of artistic expressions depending on the scope and objective for the best possible impact and always seeking to engage the best artists in the field and region where we operate.
The work of Change Attitude is created with the respect for the child in accordance with the Convention on the rights of the child and its optional protocol. Children are always part of all our projects and we are very proud of the Change Attitude Youth Board.
Our first international project Break the Silence was launched in 2016 at the Swedish Embassy in Washington DC, USA in collaboration with R.F Kennedy Human Rights, Save the Children and the Swedish Institute. The scope and purpose of Break the Silence is to contribute to break the culture of silence surrounding abuse and sexual exploitation of children by using film as a tool.
Break the Silence is now globally used by the Swedish Institute to all Swedish embassies and consulates worldwide as a tool to promote the Sustainable goals, article 16.2 – elimination of sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children.
Founder and creative leader
ulla.lemberg@changeattitude.org
Working chairperson and children’s rights expert
Business advisor and co-founder
Lawyer
Journalist and documentary filmmaker
Communication Professional
Film: Martin Axkull, Musik Henrik Rambe
CHANGE ATTITUDE is a religiously and politically independent foundation, based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Change Attitude operates globally through cultural expressions to raise awareness and increase people’s commitment to end sexualized violence against children.
© Change Attitude 2021