ZEBRA DAY CSA SURVIVOR PRIDE 2025

Calling all CSA survivors and allies

WEAR & SHARE ZEBRA ON FRIDAY, 31st JANUARY 2025.

Bring an end to stigma, bear witness to the scale and impact of child sexual abuse, stand alongside survivors in solidarity and celebrate our collective survival.

There are an estimated 11 million adult CSA survivors in the UK* and we are a devastatingly ever growing community with 15% of girls and 5% of boys** growing up experiencing child sexual abuse. Across the globe, up to 35% of girls and 21% of boys experience sexual violence before their 18th birthday.
 
Child sexual abuse has devastating social, physical and emotional impacts. Stigma and taboo make it hard for us to access support or develop a sense of connection and belonging. CSA is never a child’s fault, we didn’t do anything wrong and we deserve to live free of shame and guilt.

International Zebra Day CSA boldly reclaims innocence, community and pride in our survival.

How you can support the campaign:

• Wear and share zebra on Friday 31st January 2025 - post a photo of yourself on social media wearing zebra print to amplify the voices of the CSA survivor community. Use the hashtag #ZebraDayCSA and tag us on @VivGordonCompany.
• Post your intention to wear and share zebra on the lead up to the 31st January 2025 to encourage others to get involved - ask your friends, family, colleagues and followers to stand in solidarity with our community. Use the hashtag and tag above. Allies can use the hashtag #IStandWithSurvivors.
• Download the Zebra Day flyer and share widely with your networks.
  
• Download and customise your own Zebra Day social media picture frame!

download social media frame

Upload your image of choice to Canva and then insert the image into the circle in the centre. Once you have done this and downloaded the final image, it is ready to use. 

• Download one of our Zebra Day social media images below:
  

download image

download image

download image

Join Us for the
DAZZLE OF ZEBRAS Zebra Day CSA Online Event
Date & Time: 31st January, 6-8pm (UK time) 
Location: Zoom (link will be sent via email the day before and on the day)
You can expect a safe and supportive space, accessibility & wellbeing support
Event Schedule

• Welcome & Opening Speech: Viv Gordon will introduce Zebra Day CSA and the power of community.
• Campaign Film Premiere: A collective film created by and for our community and allies.
• Creative Showcase: Up to 15 CSA survivors will present their micro-commissioned works, including poetry, song, animation, photography, and visual art.
• Moment of Reflection: A minute’s silence to honour our community and those who have not survived. 
• Collective Poem: Led by Viv Gordon, we’ll co-create a poem via chat responses centred around the Zebra Day slogan, ‘We see you’.
• The event will last 2 hours.

We’d love to see you there—whether you actively participate or simply observe, this space is yours.

Sign up for Zebra Day CSA online event

Why zebras?

Illustration by Imogen Harvey-Lewis (An ABC of CSA)

In 2023 we launched our ABC of CSA - a creative resource developed with over 40 CSA survivors to support better conversations about surviving child sexual abuse. The Z card is "Feeling like a zebra in a world of giraffes", which speaks to many of us about how we live our lives feeling different and are alienated in the dominant culture.

BUT zebras are brilliant and we think they are a potent image to celebrate CSA survival because:

• Each zebra has a totally unique stripe pattern reflecting the uniqueness and individuality of each survivor
• They form super herds, understand safety in numbers and the power of community
  
• Zebras are hyper vigilant and use this natural instinct to protect themselves and each other
• They travel long distances through often harsh terrain to survive
• The collective noun is 'A Dazzle of Zebras

Spread the word

If you feel safe to please help us spread the word - everyone can join in to stand in solidarity with the CSA survivor community - talk to your friends and colleagues and tell them how to get involved by wearing and sharing zebra.
 
Remember

• Wear and share zebra
  
• Open to all CSA survivors and allies
  
• Do what feels safe and positive for you
  
• Use some or all of these hashtags on social media to connect to others sharing their zebra content: #ZebraDayCSA #CSASurvivorPride #ADazzleOfZebras #Superherd

Watch the video 'Why zebras'?

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Sources:
* Radford, L. et al (2011) Child abuse and neglect in the UK today NSPCC
** The Report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), 2022.