‘My Justice, My Voice: Speaking up to end childhood sexual violence’

Friday 17 October 2025, Cape Town, South Africa: Globally, three girls and two boys experience sexual violence every second. That’s 82 million girls and 69 million boys in a single year. Across the world, one in five girls and one in seven boys will experience sexual violence before turning 18.

These numbers are staggering. But behind every statistic is a name, a face, and a survivor. And as South Africa prepares for the G20 Summit, three women are stepping forward to share their truth through a short survivor-centered documentary that demands attention and calls for urgent global action to end childhood sexual violence. The film, My justice, my voice: Speaking up to end childhood sexual violence, a co-production between the Brave Movement, survivors, Rays of Hope and On Our Radar, highlights the complex and often unspoken nature of intrafamilial violence and reflects on what meaningful action and accountability must look like to end this violence.

The film showcases the difficult truth that childhood sexual violence often happens in settings where children are meant to feel safe - within families, close circles of trust, and critical gaps in legal and child protection systems.

It can push them out of school, harm their health and well-being, and limit their opportunities.

It makes clear that safety must become the default, not the exception, so girls gain confidence to learn, participate, and lead change – driving progress toward true gender equality.

“When I was  seven, I was raped by a person I knew,” says Sheila, survivor and Brave Movement advocate. “I’m sharing my story so other women know they’re not alone. My peace comes from helping others — that gives me comfort and healing.”

Joining Sheila, Jacque and her daughter Thabile share their intertwined stories. Jacque was raped as a child and gave birth to Thabile on her 18th birthday. On screen, mother and daughter appear side by side, illustrating both the generational cycles of childhood sexual violence and the determination of women working to ensure the next generation does not endure the same trauma.

“I wouldn’t want anyone in this world to go through what I went through,” Thabile says. “I’m not ashamed to share my story because I know it can help someone heal. That’s why I chose not to be silent.”

The film was created via a participatory process grounded in survivor agency, trauma-informed care, and community-led storytelling. Through this process, the film amplifies survivor voices while urging governments to take urgent action: adopt trauma-informed policies, fund survivor-centred services, and prioritize the prevention of sexual violence, both online and offline.

“To our world leaders,” Sheila adds, “we need you to join hands across countries and fight this scourge of sexual violence — especially against children. They are our future.”

Across South Africa and around the world, survivors continue to break the silence, often at great personal cost. Their courage is reshaping the global narrative, replacing stigma with solidarity and silence with action.

““When I share my story, that’s my justice,” Sheila says. “When it happened, I was seven years old and kept quiet because no one was paying attention. But now, this is me putting it out there — so someone else can also get justice.”

As South Africa prepares for the G20, survivors and advocates are reminding leaders that ending childhood sexual violence must be a top priority on every national and international agenda. No child should endure what Sheila, Jacque, Thabile, and millions of others have faced.

MY JUSTICE, MY VOICE CONTENT WARNING
Please note that the film contains sensitive and potentially triggering content related to childhood sexual violence, including interfamilial abuse. We recognise the emotional impact this may have on survivors and others viewing the film. If you or anyone needs support, we have available resources through our Get Help page here.

ABOUT THE MY JUSTICE, MY VOICE DEVELOPMENT & CO-PRODUCTION PROCESS
This film was co-produced through a participatory process with Brave, survivors, Rays of Hope, and On Our Radar, it is grounded in survivor agency, trauma-informed care, and community-led storytelling. Survivors served as co-creators, writing their own scripts, reviewing edits, shaping narrative structure, and setting guiding principles to ensure the final story was authentic and respectful. Safeguarding and well-being support were integrated at each iterative stage, and is an ongoing priority as the film launches. Filming culminated in a community activation event, where survivors gathered with allies, civil society, and local leaders to spotlight the urgent need for prevention, healing, and justice.

ABOUT THE FILM’S WIDER CAMPAIGN PURPOSE AND CALL TO ACTION
This film is part of the Brave Movement’s wider campaign in the lead-up to the 2025 G20 Summit in South Africa and a powerful tool in the Ending Violence Against Children Ministerial accountability process.  It serves as a direct call to governments to confront one of the most hidden and neglected forms of childhood sexual violence: intra-familial abuse, and for governments to deliver the pledges they made at the 2024 EVAC Ministerial. It's a call for governments to:

• Take up trauma-informed policies from survivors that prevent harm
• Correct harmful laws to ensure justice for survivors
• Fund services for survivor healing

My Justice, My Voice also reinforces our global demands and brings visibility to the gaps in protection, justice, and healing for children. It supports our broader call to action for G20 governments to:

• Invest in children and their future by increasing public spending within national child protection and violence prevention structures, and take a child rights-based approach to budgeting.
• Enact globally-aligned legislation, prioritising children's safety, and ensuring coordination across government, law enforcement, the tech industry, and civil society in building a safer internet.
• Establish a survivor council and endorse the Council of Europe guidelines.
• The complete removal of criminal and civil statutes of limitations for child sexual abuse cases.

At the heart of this campaign is one demand: Listen to survivors and join the Brave Movement.

ABOUT THE BRAVE MOVEMENT
The Brave Movement is a global survivor-led initiative demanding action to end childhood sexual violence. Hosted by Together for Girls, the movement mobilises and unites survivors and allies in more than 20 countries globally to push for urgent, systemic change. Learn more at www.bravemovement.global.

ABOUT RAYS OF HOPE
Rays of Hope began in 1991 with a single project and has since grown into a network of community-based programmes focused on education, psychosocial support, and family care. Working closely with community leaders, schools, and social services in Alexandra, Johannesburg, the organisation supports over 400 children and their families each year, creating pathways to safety, dignity, and opportunity. Learn more at www.raysofhope.co.za

ABOUT ON OUR RADAR
On Our Radar is a specialist group of journalists, filmmakers, digital storytellers and community practitioners. We work through partnerships to establish community reporter networks and surface stories from unheard groups worldwide. They have won six international media awards and have been nominated for a further 12. Their work has been published by national and international media outlets across seven European and 15 African countries, and screened to global leaders. Learn more at: www.onourradar.org

ABOUT TOGETHER FOR GIRLS
Ending violence against children cannot be solved by a single actor or sector alone. Together for Girls is a global partnership working to end sexual violence against children and adolescents. Active in over 20 countries, Together for Girls unites actors that often do not work together, including national governments, United Nations entities, the private sector, civil society, and survivors. Through data and advocacy, Together for Girls drives action to break cycles of violence and ensure prevention, healing, and justice.  Learn more at: www.togetherforgirls.org