Child Focus turns a sexting victim's old phone into an audio petition — Epica Grand Prix

Child Focus, Belgium's center for missing and sexually exploited children, opened 151 reports of transgressive sexting and exposing in 2023 and called the number an underestimate — most victims stay silent out of shame or fear. A survey by three Belgian universities found 1 in 4 young people aged 15 to 25 had their nudes shared without consent. For the European Day for the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse, the charity wanted more than awareness: it wanted four specific legislative changes.

Its creative partner VML Belgium went back to one case: Glenn, who at 15 made one nude photo with his phone; when the image ended up online, he took his own life. Rather than simply tell his story in an ad, they reactivated the phone itself. With Orange, Glenn's provider, they recreated his voicemail using the standard carrier setup — Glenn introduces himself, then the familiar recorded voice says he is no longer available and explains why, before inviting callers to leave their name after the tone.

Every name left after the tone 'signed' an audio petition backing Child Focus' four demands on online child protection. Social films, radio ads and influencers — including Sean Dhondt, a celebrity who had himself been a victim of exposing — drove people to call. On the first day more than 25,000 people called, already past the threshold needed to raise the demands in parliament; the phone kept ringing to more than 35,000 calls.

The campaign turned online child safety into the country's number one topic, reached 40 million people and generated over €1.1 million in earned media. Parliament unanimously approved a resolution covering all four demands, and Belgium got its first commissioner dedicated to children's online safety. The work won the Epica 2024 Responsibility Grand Prix and a 2025 One Show Gold for Radio & Audio for Good.