Salford has become one of only five British cities to back an international campaign aimed at protecting children against sexual violence.
The Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse – known as the Lanzarote Convention – aims to raise awareness of the issues of child abuse and how to report it.
The Council of Europe campaign was launched in Rome last year and reaches out to young people, their families and society as a whole.
Salford Mayor Ian Stewart said: “This campaign aims to highlight the problem of child abuse – which is mostly committed by people close to the individual child.
“If anyone in Salford has any concerns they should not be afraid to speak up, whether they are a child or an adult concerned about a child.”
A signed certificate marking the city council’s commitment will now go on permanent display at Salford’s Civic Centre.
The move also received praise from Councillor John Warmisham, who leads the British Labour party delegation to the Council of Europe.
The councillor reassured the Salford community that the council are already working to prevent child abuse in the area.
“The Convention is a check list of good practice – covering everything from making children aware of their rights to training people who work with children and setting up care for children who do fall victim to abuse,” he said.
“Most of those measures are already in place in Salford and the UK but it never hurts to remind people that we will not tolerate abuse and exploitation of children.”
The Lanzarote Convention was handed its name after the convention was agreed and signed on the Canary Island on 25 October 2007.
All states of the Council of Europe have signed the Convention, which came into force on 1 July 2010 after being ratified by five states.
Salford residents concerned about the safety of a child can contact Salford’s Safeguarding Children Board on 0161 603 4500 or email [email protected].
Image courtesy of niko si with thanks
