Blue Teddy

Origin

The symbol of the blue teddy bear with a plaster on its heart was created at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad and Tobago, in 2009 as part of a larger action-research project titled “Breaking the Silence: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Preventing and Addressing Child Sexual Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago"; with a special emphasis on incest, which began in 2008. The campaign symbol represents the issue of Child Sexual Abuse.

The blue teddy symbol is a call for solidarity with victims and survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) and those connected to or affected by CSA, as well as those who wish to raise awareness of the issues surrounding CSA in their communities or countries. The symbol of the blue teddy bear came to symbolize security, love, care, comfort and relationships. The plaster across its heart was designed to offer a sense of hope and healing. Blue underlines the popular idiom for “feeling blue”, or feelings of hurt, sadness and despair. It is the color that represents child abuse in the United States.

Overall the symbol signals a call to awareness of issues raised by the Break the Silence project, particularly child sexual abuse / childhood incest, gender and implications of these for HIV/AIDS.

Rationale

The aim was to create a visual symbol that would:

Copyright and Stipulations

The blue teddy symbol and accompanying typeface is copyright free, so as to encourage its use by individuals, groups and organizations in all parts of the world. No individual, group nor organization should profit from the use of the blue teddy symbol. The blue teddy symbol is to be used for the cause of child sexual abuse. The blue teddy symbol is to be used as a consciousness-raising symbol, not as a commercial or trademark tool. As often as possible the tag line “Break the Silence: end child sexual abuse” should accompany the blue teddy symbol. The typeface used for the tag line is Myriad Pro.

Credit and Team

The Institute for Gender and Development Studies is credited for the Break the Silence: end child sexual abuse initiative, for developing the Breaking the Silence action research project from which this symbol emerged and for the Institute's long term and broader work in the transformation of gender relations and human rights for women and girls in Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean, the wider region and internationally. The blue teddy bear symbol was designed and developed by Kathryn Lydia Chan, Communication Campaign Manager at St. Augustine Unit with Kenneth Scott, Illustrator/Graphic Artist and in consultation with Elspeth Duncan, independent videographer and documentary photographer for the Breaking the Silence Project.

The development of the blue teddy symbol and its unrestricted use specifically for this issue, was inspired by the Red Ribbon Campaign developed by the New York-based Visual AIDS Artists Caucus in the 1990s.

Campaign

The main objectives of the Break the Silence awareness campaign, which was one component of the Breaking the Silence research project are:

In Trinidad and Tobago the campaign has involved marches/demonstrations in various communities, flash mobs in public places, development and use of media products e.g. webisodes, videos, a radio soap opera etc. Out is these actions a Break the Silence network was developed comprising a team of committed persons from different backgrounds. The Break the Silence Campaign works hand in hand with the Childline a telephone Help line, the Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago and numerous committed individuals, community groups and organizations across Trinidad and Tobago. It has gained support from Trinidad and Tobago citizens in many areas of society. One example of such support is the group Random Acts of Good Deeds.

In 2012 UNICEF adopted the Blue Teddy symbol and is collaborating in spreading its influence throughout the Caribbean and the Americas region.

Background

The blue teddy symbol emerged from a three-year action research project, on issues surrounding child sexual abuse, incest and the implications for HIV/AIDS. The project titled “Breaking the Silence: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Preventing and Addressing Child Sexual Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago; with a special emphasis on incest, began in 2008. The project is based at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies (IGDS), The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine. It has been executed and achieved in collaboration with: the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CADV); Arts in Action (AiA), the Department of Creative and Festival Arts, The UWI; The Caribbean Health Research Council (CHRC); Toco Foundation; and the Citizens Security Programme, Ministry of National Security. The research project has been made possible in partnership with and funded by UNICEF, The United Nations Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women, administered by and on behalf of the UN system, now called UN Women.

The research project "Breaking the Silence: Child Sexual Abuse with a Special Emphasis on Incest, A Multi-Sectoral Approach" is one of two initiatives of the IGDS, St. Augustine Unit research programme "Gender, Sexuality and Implications for HIV". The overall aim of this programme is to integrate the analysis of gender and sexuality into research and action related to HIV.

The project is led by Rhoda Reddock, Professor of Gender, Social Change and Development and Deputy Principal of The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus and Dr Sandra Reid, Senior Lecturer in the Dept. of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The UWI, St. Augustine. The Project Coordinator is Ms Tisha. Nickenig, Research Projects Coordinator, Institute for Gender and Development Studies, The UWI, St. Augustine.

UWI Break the Silence: end Child Sexual Abuse Links

UNICEF: Break the Silence Initiative in the Caribbean

UNICEF launched the Blue Teddy campaign at the Sub-Regional Meeting for Follow-up to the UN Study on Violence Against Children in the Caribbean in Kingston, Jamaica, in May 2012, and at the Sub-Regional Conference on Child Sexual Abuse to Advance the UNiTE Campaign in November 2012, in Barbados. The Break the Silence Initiative is a multi-pronged approach to protect children against sexual abuse. On the one hand it aims to reach victims and their families with a message to speak out and denounce, to break the stigma and shame that surrounds this issue as a first step to seek help. At the same time, the initiative is an advocacy platform directed at policy makers, health workers and police authorities to create the protection and treatment services needed to support and care for the victims available. First launched in Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 by the Institute for Gender and Development Studies at the University of West Indies, the Break the Silence Initiative will be rolled-out by UNICEF and partners in several countries and territories across the region. For more information on the Break the Silence Initiative, please visit the UNICEF website.

Research and Publications

Publications coming out of the action research project Break the Silence: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Preventing and Addressing Child Sexual Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago, that can be made public at this time, are archived on The UWISpace online platform. This archive was established by the UWI Libraries to support the dissemination of knowledge by providing open access to the digitally preserved intellectual output of the University. The UWISpace aims to collect together in one place the research and scholarship of members of the UWI community.

Breaking the Silence: A Multi-Sectoral Approach to Preventing and Addressing Child Sexual Abuse in Trinidad and Tobago.

Miscellaneous

The blue teddy symbol and tag line have been used on lapel pins, T-shirts, banners, handouts, pencils, bumper stickers, other stickers, posters, community signs, painted and digital billboards, online on Facebook, YouTube and on websites.

The blue teddy lapel pin

Blue teddy lapel pins have been produced by and can be ordered from "The Pin People".