I am writing today’s article with greater indignation than usual. Perhaps this stems from my own experience working as a youth camp counselor for five years and from being fully aware of the enormous responsibility involved in caring for children. Those who take on this role do much more than organize activities or supervise leisure time; they become trusted figures and custodians of the confidence that families place in them. For this reason, I read with profound outrage the recent news of an investigation in Biarritz involving two youth counselors under investigation for the alleged rape and sexual assault of children aged three and four.
However, I believe that our focus in cases like this should not remain solely on the immediate impact of the news. Every such incident compels us to reflect on the need to strengthen child protection mechanisms and to ensure that educational, sporting, and recreational settings are genuinely safe spaces. The vast majority of professionals who work with children carry out their responsibilities with exemplary dedication and commitment. Precisely for that reason, it is essential to equip these environments with effective safeguarding protocols, specialized training, and robust monitoring systems that minimize risks and enable swift action at the slightest sign of concern.
When cases like this come to light, fear, anger, and the desire for immediate answers are natural reactions. Yet beyond the emotional impact, they also provide an opportunity to reflect on a fundamental question: How can we better protect children from sexual abuse?
Prevention cannot begin only when a case becomes headline news. It must be embedded in the everyday functioning of every environment where children spend time. Schools, summer camps, sports clubs, youth organizations, and extracurricular activities all have a responsibility to implement clear safeguarding protocols, establish effective oversight mechanisms, and ensure that staff receive training based on scientific evidence with proven social impact so they can recognize warning signs and respond appropriately.
The investigation in the case mentioned above began on 17 July following the testimony of one of the children. This fact highlights, on the one hand, the importance of creating safe environments where children feel able to disclose experiences of violence and, on the other hand, the crucial role played by adults who know how to listen and take action. Any adult who observes warning signs, receives a disclosure, or notices concerning behaviour has an ethical—and, in many cases, legal—responsibility to act. This does not mean conducting a personal investigation or assigning blame. Rather, it means reporting the situation to the appropriate professionals and activating the established child protection procedures. As a society, we also have a duty to protect those who protect others, recognizing the isolating violence that individuals may face when they stand alongside victims and support them.
It is equally important to understand that child protection is not solely the responsibility of institutions. Families also play an essential role by fostering open communication with their children, teaching them from an early age that their bodies deserve respect, and making sure they know they can speak up about any situation that makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Likewise, society must abandon the misconception that these crimes are exceptional or impossible in certain settings. Trust is necessary, but it should never replace prevention.
Talking about child sexual abuse remains uncomfortable, but silence has never protected a single victim. The best response to news such as this is not to live in fear but to strengthen prevention and child protection, improve the training of those who work with children, and ensure that every suspicion is investigated promptly, rigorously, and with full respect for due process. Only then will it be possible to build environments where children can grow up with the safety and protection they deserve.
Predoctoral researcher at the Department of Sociology in University of Barcelona.