The Finnish Hotline Nettivihje started its new year busily by launching a two-week campaign. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of the hotline. The Finnish Hotline has been in operation since 2002. But it might still not be as well-known in Finland as we hope. Furthermore, last year (2020) the hotline received slightly fewer reports (2750 vs. 2888) compared to the previous year (2019). In addition to raising awareness of the hotline, the aim of the campaign was to increase awareness of the phenomenon of online child sexual abuse and encourage people to report if they encounter illegal activity or material related to it. We hope that the campaign reached children and youth who may be more exposed to grooming now during the Covid-19 pandemic and may be alone with their concerns.

The target group of the campaign was children and youth in addition to adults who consume pornography. The campaign material was designed and produced separately to suit both target groups. The material includes animated videos, still images, and posters and most of the material is available in Finnish, Swedish, and English. The animations and images were mostly shared on Save the Children Finland’s social media platforms during the campaign, but will also act as advertising material in the future. The posters, which are targeted to children and youth, will be delivered to 200 schools across Finland. The campaign raised also interest in the media. Among others, a mainstream news media, Yle, published an article in English regarding the importance of reporting suspected illegal activity and parental guidance on how to talk to children about online risks and dangers.