Isla Bennett
You may have noticed men painting their nails red, or with other colours, and wondered what it means. The reason behind this is to raise awareness about violence against children. The campaign, called Polished Man, encourages men to paint one in five nails, representing the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence. The campaign also raises funds for trauma recovery and prevention programs for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence. The movement was started by Elliot Costello, who, while travelling in Cambodia, met a little girl named Thea and wanted to better her and other children's lives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | To raise awareness about violence against children |
| Symbolism | One in five children will be victims of sexual violence |
| Initiator | Elliot Costello |
| Organisation | Polished Man |
| Organisation's Goal | To create a world where no child suffers from violence |
| Organisation's Method | Raising funds through conversations |
| Organisation's Focus | Male perpetrators |
| Participants | Men, and women |
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What You'll Learn
The 'Polished Man' initiative
The Polished Man initiative is a movement that encourages men to paint one fingernail, usually in a bright colour, as a way to raise awareness about violence against children. The idea is that by painting one in five nails, it represents the statistic that one in five children will be victims of sexual violence at some point in their lives. This campaign is a male-centric initiative because, sadly, 90% of all sexual assaults against children are perpetrated by men.
The movement was started by Elliot Costello, who, while travelling in Cambodia with a group called Hagar International, met a little girl named Thea. Thea painted one of Elliot's nails, and he decided to leave it painted to remember her and to raise awareness about the issue of violence against children. This simple but powerful idea has since spread worldwide, with many men adopting the symbol and sharing it on social media with hashtags such as #PolishedMan and #nailedit.
The Polished Man initiative is about more than just painting nails; it's about challenging violent behaviour and language, both locally and globally. It aims to inspire conversations and encourage donations to organisations working to end violence against children. The campaign also raises funds for trauma recovery and prevention programs for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence.
The Polished Man initiative usually takes place during a dedicated week in October, although some men choose to keep their nail painted all year round as a personal pledge to speak up about violence against children. This powerful symbol has become a way for men to show their support for ending the cycle of violence and creating a better world for children everywhere.
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Raising awareness about violence against children
Men painting one fingernail is part of the Polished Man project, a social media movement that aims to raise awareness and funds to support child victims of physical and sexual violence. The project was started by the Australian non-profit YGAP, and was inspired by their CEO Elliot Costello's encounter with an 8-year-old girl named Thea in Cambodia. Thea, who had suffered years of physical and sexual abuse, painted Costello's nails blue, and this inspired him to create the Polished Man project, which encourages men to paint one fingernail for a week or a month. The single painted nail represents the 1 in 5 children who will be a victim of sexual violence during their lifetime, with 90% of this violence perpetrated by men.
The Polished Man project aims to challenge violent behaviour and language, both locally and globally, and to raise funds for organisations working to prevent and protect children from violence. The project has gained support from notable figures such as Olympic Gold medalist Michael Klim, actors Chris Hemsworth and Tyler Blackburn, and photographer David Higgs, who have helped raise over $280,000 in donations. The funds raised are channelled into trauma recovery and prevention programs for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence, working with organisations such as the Australian Childhood Foundation, World Vision, and the New York Centre for Children.
The Polished Man project is a powerful example of how a simple gesture can spark conversations and inspire action to address a critical issue. By inviting men to paint their nails, the project challenges traditional gender norms and encourages vulnerability and openness in discussing the often-taboo topic of violence against children. This conflict between expectation and reality can be a powerful tool to raise awareness and spark change.
The project also highlights the importance of male allies in the fight to end violence against children, as 96% of this type of violence is perpetrated by males. By encouraging men to speak out and take action, the Polished Man project is helping to shift the narrative and engage a broader audience in the effort to protect children from abuse. This initiative is a testament to the impact that individuals can have in driving social change and creating a safer world for future generations.
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Raising funds for trauma recovery and prevention
The #PolishedMan campaign is a movement that raises funds for trauma recovery and prevention, specifically for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence. The campaign was started by Elliot Costello, who founded the Polished Man organisation. Costello's journey began when he travelled to Cambodia with a group called Hagar International. There, he met a young girl named Thea, and they even painted their nails together. He was so impacted by his encounter with Thea that he decided to always keep one nail painted in her memory and as a symbol of her pain.
The #PolishedMan campaign specifically encourages men to paint one fingernail, usually in a vibrant colour, to stand out and spark conversations. The single painted nail on a hand of five represents the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence before the age of 18. The campaign aims to raise awareness, challenge violent behaviour and language, and ultimately create a world where no child suffers from violence. It also hopes to remove the stigma surrounding conversations about physical and sexual violence against children.
The campaign has gained significant traction, with celebrities such as Chris Hemsworth, Tyler Blackburn, Michael Klim, Zac Efron, Mario Batali, Alec Baldwin, and Hugh Jackman joining in. As of 2016, over 61,000 people have participated in the campaign, raising over $513,000 in donations. The funds are channelled into various organisations supporting children affected by abuse and investing in preventive measures to reduce the risk of exposure to violence.
The #PolishedMan campaign is an innovative and powerful way to raise awareness, funds, and spark conversations about the important issue of violence against children. By encouraging men to paint their nails, the campaign challenges traditional gender norms and provides a platform for men to stand up against violence and support trauma recovery and prevention for children worldwide.
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Challenging violent behaviour and language
Painting a single fingernail is a powerful symbol of the Polished Man movement, which aims to challenge violent behaviour and language against children. The movement was founded by Elliot Costello, who was inspired by a young girl he met while travelling in Cambodia with Hagar International. Elliot and the crew were there to aid underprivileged communities, and it was a little girl named Thea who left the biggest impression on him. They even painted their nails together, and Elliot promised to always keep one nail painted in her memory.
The Polished Man movement encourages men to paint one fingernail for a week, representing the one in five children who will tragically be a victim of sexual violence. The single nail on a hand of five nails symbolises this statistic and serves as a reminder that hundreds of thousands of children are abused each day, suffering consequences that can last a lifetime. The movement specifically challenges violent behaviour and language, both locally and globally, with the understanding that men need to be the voice of change for this abuse to end, as the vast majority of this violence is perpetrated by males.
The Polished Man movement is not just about raising awareness, but also about taking action to end violence against children. It is a fundraiser, with donations going to organisations like YGAP, Hagar International, The Australian Childhood Foundation, The New York Center for Children, and World Vision Australia, all of which work to uplift and protect children. The movement has gained significant traction on social media, with celebrities like Chris Hemsworth and Michael Klim lending their support and helping to spread the word.
Violent and challenging behaviour in children can be the result of underlying neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism, ADHD, or PDA. It can also be a response to trauma, abuse, or neglect, and it is important to understand a child's experiences when addressing these behaviours. While there may not be quick fixes, with the right intervention and support, children can develop more effective and less dangerous ways of communicating and strategies for getting their needs met. This includes placing children in settings that promote and support positive behaviour, providing staff with training on de-escalation techniques, and developing individual behaviour management plans.
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Men as a voice for change
Men painting one fingernail is part of a social cause and form of advocacy to raise awareness about violence against children. This trend, which began in Australia, is called the Polished Man project. It encourages men to become a #PolishedMan by painting one fingernail for a week, usually in October. The single painted nail on a hand of five represents the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence at some point in their lives. The project's website states:
> Being a Polished Man means challenging violent behaviour and language, both locally and globally.
The first man behind the movement was Elliot Costello, who met a little girl named Thea while travelling in Cambodia with a group called Hagar International. In that moment, as she put polish on one of his nails, he pledged to always keep that nail painted to remember her and her pain. He realised that this trend could be a huge catalyst for good and gave the one painted fingernail a bigger meaning.
The Polished Man cause also raises funds, with all money raised channelled into trauma recovery and trauma prevention programs for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence globally. The campaign is spearheaded by Polished Man, a non-profit organisation, and has taken off on social media, with Instagram generating thousands of posts as people all around the world embrace the #PolishedMan hashtag #nailedit to spread the word.
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Frequently asked questions
Men who paint one fingernail red are likely participating in the Polished Man movement, which raises awareness and funds to end violence against children. The single painted nail represents the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence.
The movement was started by Elliot Costello, who, while travelling in Cambodia with the non-profit Hagar International, met a little girl named Thea. To honour her and bring awareness to the issue of sexual violence against children, Costello pledged to always keep one fingernail painted.
You can get involved by painting your fingernail and sharing your support on social media with the hashtags #PolishedMan and #nailedit. You can also donate to the organisation's appeal to fund trauma recovery and prevention programs for children who have suffered or are at risk of suffering violence.
