APAV launches the campaign “Your Safety is not a Game. Stay Connected.”
Between 2000 and 2011, APAV processed 7,387 cases of children and youth victims of crime and violence, which altogether amount to 11,261 crimes committed against children. Among these cases, crimes against property became the third most frequent, but were relatively low when compared to crimes committed against persons. This fact is indicated by the low level of complains and requests for help from younger people when it comes to crimes of this nature.
To address these problems, APAV sought to produce and disseminate to a younger audience easy-to-follow information and resources on violence. The resources will also touch on the importance of reaching out for help and assistance, and on ways to adopt personal safety and protection measures.
So with the help of Ideias com Pernas, APAV developed the educational and awareness-raising campaign website, www.apavparajovens.pt. Sponsored by Cupido, this campaign is also fortunate enough to have young actors Mikaela Lupu and Ricardo Sá involved to help deliver an important message to a younger audience: “Your Safety is not a Game. Stay Connected”. This project draws attention to the possible dangers that one might encounter when walking on the streets, teaching younger audiences how to adopt personal safety and protection measures.
The dissemination of this project has begun since December 2012, with joint efforts from Master’s and PhD’s students, public and private secondary schools, Facebook networks, partner institutions and mass media. Partner organizations in Scotland and Sweden also provided tremendous help and support in disseminating the message to the targeted audience.
This initiative is done under Project LEAD – Inform to Prevent, which was promoted by APAV and financially supported by the Directorate-General Justice of the European Commission. All of this is made possible under the programme DAPHNE III, involving national partners, the Foundation of Youth, ISCTE (Instituto Universitário de Lisboa), as well as international partners – namely, Victim Support Scotland (Scotland) and Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority (Sweden).