About us
Action Innocence is a private foundation, recognised by decree of the Geneva State Council as a public-interest organisation.
It was established in Geneva in 1999 by Valérie Wertheimer, following a trip to Thailand in 1997, during which she was confronted with a rapidly expanding form of trafficking facilitated by the emergence of the Internet: enabling tourists to book holidays online in order to sexually exploit children.
In its first years, Action Innocence sought to draw attention to the emerging risks of Internet misuse and to denounce the early forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Through its AntiPedoFiles programme, Action Innocence developed tracking software that was made freely available to police forces until 2018, contributing to the arrest of thousands of child pornography users. From 2019, the Foundation conducted a strategic review to strengthen prevention work with potential and actual perpetrators, ensuring that responsibility would not rest solely on children. This work led to a collaboration with the DIS NO Association, whose preventive approach provides advice and support to individuals concerned about sexual thoughts or behaviours involving children, with the aim of preventing sexual abuse and other forms of mistreatment.
Alongside this work, through its Grandir avec les écrans prevention programme, Action Innocence has developed modules for children to raise awareness of the risks associated with using the Internet, including exposure to shocking and illegal images, the sharing of personal information, harmful encounters, sexting and cyberbullying. Over the past 25 years, the programme has expanded, and the Foundation’s activities have evolved in line with technological innovation and changing digital practices. Today, its initiatives are aimed at children, adolescents, people with additional needs, parents, and professionals working in education, healthcare and social services.
Action Innocence also runs large-scale prevention campaigns in the media to inform and raise public awareness.
Mission statement
Objectives
- Promoting healthy and moderate use of screens
- Promoting safe, responsible, and civic use of digital technologies
- Combating child sexual exploitation and abuse