During
Elliot Costello's visit to Cambodia, he crossed paths with a young girl named
Thea.
Elliot
had no idea that this chance meeting would inspire him to initiate a movement
dedicated to ending sexual abuse against children.
Interestingly,
Thea always adorned her tiny nails with nail polish. During one conversation
with Elliot, she requested to paint one of his nails. He obliged, enjoying the
conversation with the talkative girl. However, he soon discovered that she was
a survivor of sexual abuse.
"As
she painted one of my nails, I promised her that I would always keep it that
way to remember her and, by extension, her suffering," Elliot recalled.
This
experience inspired Elliot to strive for positive change among men, aiming to
reduce the number of children who fall victim to sexual abuse.
Zac
Efron/Instagram
That's
when he conceived the movement called #PolishedMan, where men paint one of
their nails. This symbolic gesture represents the one in five children who will
become victims of sexual violence.
Polished
Man strives to combat sexual violence against children. According to the
organization, "being a Polished Man means challenging violent behavior and
language, both locally and globally."
Elliot
contends that since men are responsible for 96% of this type of violence
against children globally, they should be the catalysts for change if we are
ever to see an end to the abuse of innocent children.
The
aim of the painted nail isn’t merely to raise awareness about the staggering
number of children enduring abuse daily, but also to spark conversations about
this harsh reality, fostering innovative ideas for prevention. Additionally,
Elliot hopes that this initiative will prompt donations to support educational
programs and resources for child survivors of abuse, as highlighted by APlus.
We
aspire for more men, including celebrities, to step forward and join this
movement.
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