Message from the Minister of Defense, Guido Crosetto, for the event organized by “Fondazione SOS Il Telefono Azzurro ETS”, at the Multipurpose Hall of the Presidency of the Council, on the occasion of the National Day against Paedophilia and Child Pornography:
“Defending the most vulnerable, children and adolescents, from all forms of abuse, exploitation and violence, is a moral and civil duty that involves all the institutions of the State, none excluded. The Defense is also committed, in its sphere, to contribute to the construction of a safe, attentive, trained context, capable of preventing risks and effectively protecting the rights of children.
In a time when technology opens up new opportunities, but also new threats, the fight against the spread of child pornography and against all forms of digital violence becomes a crucial challenge. A concerted effort, national and international, is needed, involving institutions, law enforcement, schools, families and civil society.
In this sense, on April 15th we officially launched a working table between the Ministry of Defense and the Telefono Azzurro Foundation, following the signing of a three-year protocol that provides a structured path of collaboration and intervention for the protection of minors. An innovative project, which I strongly desired, and which sees the Armed Forces engaged in three specific areas of intervention.
Thanks to the scientific and educational contribution of Telefono Azzurro, specialized training will be launched for units of the Armed Forces that operate in emergency situations, with modules dedicated to the recognition and management of abuse, the protection of minors and listening. Psychological and social support services will also be activated, together with research on the behavior of children involved in traumatic contexts.
This protocol is a concrete signal: Defense is a big family, and in this family children must have a special place. Protecting them today means building aware citizens tomorrow”.
