‘If you can’t say it, write it’: French kids reveal abuse

By SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — A new campaign in France allows young children to flag abusive attacks by simply dropping letters in easily accessible mailboxes across the country, for experts to assess. And the results have led to several police investigations, while giving a rare and shocking snapshot of the scale of child abuse in France. Started by a police officer who was himself sexually abused as a boy and founded a child protection group called Les Papillons (“Butterflies”), the two-year-old program runs under the motto: “If you can’t say it, write it.” The group says about 7% of responses denounced sexual abuse, which in 30% of the cases was committed within the family circle.