"Let's Create a City Without Child Abuse"... Seocho-gu Strengthens Public-Private-Police Cooperation

Collaboration with Good Neighbors and Police Stations

Seocho-gu in Seoul is joining forces with the entire community, including private organizations and the police, under the goal of becoming a "happy city without child abuse." The aim is to strengthen the social safety net by protecting children from abuse and enabling them to enjoy happy lives, through initiatives ranging from education in relevant fields to collaboration with various institutions.

Seocho Police Station - Pre-registration of fingerprints for missing person prevention. Provided by Seocho-gu.

The district is operating "on-site child abuse prevention education" for child welfare facilities. The program seeks to raise awareness of child abuse within these facilities and to ensure prompt responses through active education. For staff at child welfare facilities, a dedicated child abuse officer shares real-life reporting cases to heighten vigilance, and provides guidance on the mandatory reporting system and reporting procedures to ensure immediate action in suspected cases of abuse.

Children in these facilities are also educated on the types and examples of child abuse, as well as reporting methods, so that they can understand their own rights and the need for protection. The district utilizes "The World Where Time Stopped," a child abuse prevention content that combines gamification and storytelling to suit children who are familiar with digital environments. "The World Where Time Stopped" is the first online child abuse prevention education content by a local government to apply gamification. Since its launch, it has surpassed 30,000 cumulative users and has received significant positive feedback not only in Seocho-gu but also from local governments and related organizations nationwide.

In addition, the district has recently strengthened community cooperation by signing business agreements with private organizations and the police. Good Neighbors, one of the organizations involved, plans to deliver messages on sexual violence and child abuse prevention, mutual respect among peers, and coping strategies to children through puppet shows in an easy and effective manner.

Seocho and Bangbae Police Stations support the pre-registration of fingerprints to prevent missing children. They encourage direct visits to relevant facilities to register children's fingerprints, photos, and guardians' contact information, which is highly effective for rapid discovery and protection in case of emergencies. The district is also successfully operating the "On-site Child Abuse ZERO Bus" in collaboration with the Seocho-gu Youth Counseling and Welfare Center. Since March, the bus has been touring local elementary schools and parks, starting with Yangjae Neighborhood Park.

Furthermore, the district plans to expand the use of prevention education content in cooperation with schools and related institutions, and to support customized programs for children, parents, and families suspected of abuse. On November 19, the district will host campaigns and events to mark "Child Abuse Prevention Day."

Seocho-gu Mayor Jun Sungsoo stated, "We will work with the community to build a thorough safety net for child abuse prevention and will continue to expand related policies so that our children, who are the future, can grow up happily."