In 2018, It’s a Penalty campaigned around four major sporting events:
- Super Bowl LII (Minneapolis, USA) – 4th February
- PyeongChang Winter Olympics & Paralympics (South Korea) – 9-25th February & 9-18th March
- HSBC/Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Rugby Sevens – 6-8th April
- Gold Coast Commonwealth Games (Australia) – 4-15th April.
Throughout the 2018 Campaign, It’s a Penalty:
• EDUCATED about global issues of child abuse, exploitation and trafficking, penalties for offenders, and asked the general public to #knowthesigns;
• EQUIPPED sporting fans, tourists and local residents with mechanisms to report a crime against children, both whilst at home and abroad;
• ENCOURAGED people to make a report; “if you see something, say something!”
Working with the major Sporting Governing Bodies and organisers of the Super Bowl (Anti-Trafficking Sub Committee), Winter Games (POCOG), Rugby Sevens (HKRU), and Commonwealth Games (GOLDOC) to bring child protection to the forefront of their agendas, It’s a Penalty reached approx. 2.9 million sporting fans, tourists and local residents in the hosting cities.
Campaign Film
During the Winter Olympics & Paralympics and the Commonwealth Games, the It’s a Penalty campaign film was seen on giant screens at event venues by approx. 1.7 million sporting fans.
During the months of January-April 2018, approx. 42 million passengers travelling on British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Cathay Dragon and Virgin Australia saw the It’s a Penalty campaign film inflight. 4 airlines, including TAM, also had a full-page feature on It’s a Penalty in their inflight magazine.
Through partnership with local organising committees, NGO’s, law enforcers and hotels and pubs in the hosting cities, they contributed to a positive legacy for the major sporting events and long-term impact on child protection on-the-ground.
Highlights of the 2018 Campaign
- It’s a Penalty worked with law enforcement and organisations in hosting cities to promote their reporting hotlines during the major sporting events, resulting in a 300% increase in calls reporting exploitation and trafficking in Minneapolis (Polaris hotline), and a 7% increase in calls reporting child abuse in South Korea (Korean Police), compared to the same periods the previous year.
- It’s a Penalty distributed a total of 126,415 informative campaign materials (leaflets, wristbands, posters and coasters) with key information on how to spot and report child abuse, exploitation and trafficking. In Minneapolis, PyeongChang, Hong Kong and Gold Coast, It’s a Penalty materials were displayed in 66 hotels, 30 bars/pubs and at the Olympic and Commonwealth event venues.
14 hotels in Minneapolis and 2hotels in Hong Kong partnered with It’s a Penalty to train their staff to know the signs of exploitation and trafficking. - It’s a Penalty helped facilitate a presentation to 70 staff from Hong Kong Rugby Union through our NGO partners The Mekong Club in order to educate them on exploitation and trafficking.
- NGOs and the US Consulate in Hong Kong will meet with the government in order to lobby for the enactment of the Modern-Day Slavery Act and a robust hotline in Hong Kong for people to report crimes against children.
- It’s a Penalty was the only child protection campaign inside the Winter Games Olympic Plaza.
- At the Commonwealth Games, It’s Penalty had a marquee with 20 trained volunteers (provided by our partner NGOs A21, Bravehearts & Red Frogs) interacting with thousands of people about the issues and promoting the Australia Federal Police reporting hotline. Many interactions led to referrals for child abuse counselling to our partner NGO Bravehearts.
Partner organizations:
A21, Comic Relief, the McCain Institute, World Vision, The Radisson Hotel Group, Sysdoc, ICMEC, Children Win, Laureus, The Polaris Project, ECPAT, The Code, The Hue Jackson Foundation, The Sungjoo Foundation, The Mekong Club, STOP, End Violence Against Children, Spinnaker, Unruly, Double Barrel Productions, Trinorth Communications, 24/7 Prayer, A21 Australia and Bravehearts.
Partner airlines:
British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacfic, TAM, Cathay Dragon and Virgin Australia.
Athletes who lend their voices to promote child protection on the global stage:
Gary Lineker, Usain Bolt, Cathy Freeman, Rashad Jennings, Maro Itoje, François Pienaar, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Liam Malone, Denise Lewis, and David Luiz. As well as Actor, Jerome Flynn (Game of Thrones).
It is only by working together that we can make a difference.
About It’s a Penalty
We are creating a movement to help end violence against children.
We campaign, research and advocate for the enactment and implementation of appropriate legislation to hold offenders accountable, globally.
We educate, encourage and equip individuals with ways to prevent the abuse, exploitation and trafficking of children.
Please consider making a donation to help us continue our work. To donate, click here.
