- ‘Break The Record’ launches this month with the release of a first-of-its-kind book documenting the global prevalence of childhood sexual violence and a practical framework to end it.
- ‘Break The Record’ – co-written and designed by cummins&partnersNYC – features groundbreaking new research conducted by Together for Girls, UNICEF, and other partners, which found that:
- 82 million girls and 69 million boys have experienced some form of sexual violence in the past year: approximately 3 girls and 2 boys per second
- 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys will experience some form of sexual violence before their 18th birthday
- The book launch is supported by a global outdoor, digital, and social media campaign across the USA and the UK, as well as earned media support from over fifty influencers and celebrities around the world.
- The campaign has been launched in an effort to set a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most countries ever represented at a childhood violence summit, expected to be broken at the Global Ministerial Conference in Bogotá on November 7-8, 2024.
- The campaign was developed in partnership with survivors of childhood sexual violence, represented by The Brave Movement: a global survivor-led advocacy movement and special initiative of Together for Girls.
cummins&partnters, Hope&Glory PR, Ladbury PR, and the7stars have have today unveiled ‘Break the Record’, a global campaign for Together for Girls aimed at breaking the world’s record of inaction against childhood sexual violence.
The campaign follows groundbreaking new research conducted by Together for Girls in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), Georgia State University, China Agricultural University, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and University of Edinburgh, which revealed that 82 million girls and 69 million boys have experienced some form of sexual violence in the past year: approximately 3 girls and 2 boys per second.
Launched one week before the Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, the campaign aims to break a GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS™ title for the most countries ever represented at a childhood violence summit.
At the heart of the campaign is a first-of-its-kind book, co-written and designed by cummins&partnersNYC, which documents both prevalence data and practical solutions in a format never before seen in this field.
The book and campaign will have a major presence at the conference itself, including a large installation at the conference venue, developed by Creative Giants. The installation will confront delegates with 2m-high book spreads featuring statistics on childhood sexual violence, and will capture sign-ins from delegates for the official world record attempt.
Published in English, Spanish and French, the limited edition book is structured in three parts:
- Understanding Childhood Sexual Violence – the facts and figures revealed by newly published research, helping us understand the issue on a global scale.
- Addressing Childhood Sexual Violence – a practical framework for addressing SVAC around the world, including insights and best practice guidance.
- What can I do? – actions available to each and every reader to learn, advocate, and act to end SVAC.
The book launch is supported by a global outdoor, digital and social media campaign orchestrated by the7stars, as well as earned media support from over fifty influencers and celebrities around the world.
The design of the book and broader campaign contrasts the seriousness of the topic with the innocence of the people – the children – it affects. Based on the concept of a child-like scrapbook, readers are constantly reminded of the safety and joy that’s owed (but too often denied) to every child.
The earned media strategy, executed by Hope&Glory PR and Ladbury PR, has focused on driving global media attention and public engagement across digital platforms, traditional press, and influencer partnerships.
All readers and campaign viewers will be directed to www.BreakTheRecord.org, a dedicated landing page to take action and read a digital version of the book in all languages.
Louis Lunts, Managing Director of cummins&partnersNYC, said:
“Once in a blue moon, the stars align to present the rarest of opportunities: a chance to build something that’s both creative and genuinely impactful. This, for us, was that opportunity.
We had groundbreaking research which – for the first time ever – revealed the global prevalence of childhood sexual violence.
We had a chance to influence the largest ever summit on childhood violence, slated to welcome delegates from 120+ countries.
And most importantly, we had a brave client willing to push boundaries, build a coalition, and lead the charge towards ending childhood sexual violence around the world.
When life throws you a bone like that, you grasp it with both hands. That’s what the entire team has done with ‘Break The Record’, and we couldn’t be prouder to see it launch.”
Dr. Daniela Ligiero, CEO and President of Together for Girls, said:
“The Break The Record campaign is a monumental step in our ongoing work to end childhood sexual violence.
Through our partnership with cummins&partners and the wider agency team, we have created something truly groundbreaking. This campaign not only sheds light on the horrific prevalence of abuse, but it also offers practical, evidence-based solutions for policymakers and advocates alike.
The collaboration and commitment from these agencies has been instrumental in amplifying our message, challenging the status quo, and reaching audiences across the world.
This work is more than a campaign—it’s a major step in our global movement toward prevention, healing, and justice. Together, we are breaking the silence and setting a new standard for what is possible in the global effort to end childhood sexual violence.”