PARIS 2024 CAMPAIGN
It’s a Penalty campaigns around major sporting events, harnessing the power of sport to prevent abuse, exploitation and trafficking worldwide. We work with some of the biggest names in sport, sporting governing bodies, the travel and tourism industry, NGOs and the general public to end these forms of violence
As the world’s gaze turned to Paris for the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, It’s a Penalty launched a crucial campaign to inform the public about human trafficking and exploitation, in order to prevent it, in France and globally. Running from the beginning of July through the end of September 2024, the It’s a Penalty Paris 2024 Olympics & Paralympics Campaign, with support from our partners and local NGOs, equipped millions of people with awareness of the prevalence of human trafficking, how to spot the signs, and how to safely and effectively report instances of exploitation.
Human trafficking and exploitation – key findings
Worldwide, 50 million people are trapped in modern slavery and human trafficking. An estimated US $236 billion profit is obtained through the use of forced labor & sexual exploitation by traffickers each year.
In the EU, the majority of victims are EU citizens (53 %), with Romania, France, Italy, Bulgaria and Poland being the top five countries of origin.
According to a survey carried out in 2022 by 69 associations, of 2,675 survivors they support in France, 76% experienced sexual exploitation, 15% exploitation at work, 7% forced criminality and 2% forced begging.
In France, out of 1,518 suspects prosecuted for exploitation or human trafficking, 60% were French Nationals
Research by the STOP THE TRAFFIK Group (STTG) evidenced a notable increase in Ukrainian, Russian, and Chinese nationals advertised for commercial sex services in Paris in the lead up to the games.
STTG also report that nearly 50% of all the sex service adverts analysed reference the term ‘teen,’ suggesting either trafficker ‘preference’ for recruiting younger individuals or catering to the current or anticipated demand for such demographics, indicating exploitation of children and young people.
CAMPAIGN HIGHLIGHTS
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83% of respondents to a post campaign survey noted increased awareness of human trafficking.
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82% of respondents to a post campaign survey noted increased awareness of how to find help and report suspected cases of human trafficking and exploitation.
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76% of respondents to a post campaign survey noted increased confidence or likeliness to report suspected cases of human trafficking and exploitation
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263.8 million people estimated to have been reached via the campaign distribution platforms between July – September 2024
CAMPAIGN ACTIVITIES
- Bespoke 30-second campaign video, featuring Olympic and Paralympic athlete ambassadors including Michaël Jérémiasz, Asha Philip, Jonelle Price, Tim Price, Ellie Simmonds, and Usain Bolt.
- Informative campaign digital signage, featuring athlete ambassadors and the signs to look out for.
- International airlines, including Emirates, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and JetBlue, screened the campaign video in-flight throughout July-September 2024, coinciding with the Paris 2024 Olympics & Paralympics.
- Partnership with Paris 2024 fan zones celebration sites reaching spectators with key campaign messages.
- Campaign press launch event, hosted in collaboration with Accor at the Mercure Paris Centre Tour Eiffel, on 9th July 2024.
- People reached travelling to and from Paris during the Games through campaign digital signage displayed at London Gatwick airport, Heathrow Express, and UK Border Force at Paris Gare du Nord.
- Partnership with the hospitality industry throughout France with our Headline Partner Booking.com, Main Partner Accor and Supporting Partner IHG Hotels & Resorts to distribute campaign digital assets and signage to employees and shared with guests.
- National and global social media shared campaign messages, information about partnerships, providing essential information about human trafficking and exploitation to people worldwide.
Thank you to our partners!
