Ridni Foundation team took part in the European conference Start2Act: “Safer Spaces and Participation in Cultural Education”. The event brought together 90 participants from 11 countries for a common goal – strengthening child protection policies, involving youth in creating safety rules, and preventing sexual violence in creative and educational environments.
As part of the event, the foundation’s specialists – Head of the Psychological Supervision Department Iryna Ferko and psychologist Yevdokiia Yevdokimova – held a signature workshop on the topic “Professional Response Strategies Through Art Practices: Understanding Sexualized Behavior in Children with Experiences of Violence”.
Child sexual abuse is one of the most horrific types of violence, and its consequences often remain invisible. During the workshop, the speakers discussed the impact of trauma and warned about the warning signs that adults should pay attention to. The specialists also presented practical tools for monitoring the psychological safety of children during events, based on the “Notice. Accept. Support” approach.
Special attention at the conference was paid to the architecture of a safe environment. The participants agreed that safety is not only about the conditions set by adults but also about how the youth themselves feel it. The creative process, which requires emotional and physical presence, adds vulnerability and therefore requires building a non-judgmental space and additional safety rules. To help a child, specialists and parents should regularly analyze: does the child feel safe here and now, who exactly do they feel protected with, and what can be done to strengthen this feeling.
