ABOUTABOUTEvery day, 1 in 6 children in Denmark contact the Child Support Phone / Children’s Helpline to report physical or emotional abuse. Despite the scale of the issue, violence against children often remains hidden behind closed doors, making it difficult for the public to truly grasp how widespread and serious the problem is.
A small, visible symbol can make an invisible issue impossible to ignore. People are more likely to engage with difficult topics when they are given a simple, emotional and accessible way to show support and spark conversation in everyday life.
We created a campaign built around one red painted nail — symbolising the one child who reaches out for help every day. A number of well-known Danes painted one nail red and reacted to real, heartbreaking excerpts from children’s reports to the Children’s Helpline. The contrast between the small gesture and the gravity of the stories highlighted how enormous the issue truly is. The public was then encouraged to paint one of their own nails red, turning a simple action into a visible show of solidarity against child abuse. By making participation easy and public, the campaign transformed awareness into action — helping more people stand with vulnerable children and shine a light on violence that too often stays hidden.
