Deaf director Bim Ajadi’s Underwear Rule film for the NSPCC aims to keep deaf children safe from sexual abuse

Posted on May 6, 2015 by



The NSPCC is launching a video version of its successful Underwear Rule guidance today to help keep deaf children safe from sexual abuse.

The new seven minute film is being launched to coincide with Deaf Awareness Week this week, and is directed by award-winning Deaf film-maker Bim Ajadi.

Here’s the film:

The new film, which is in British Sign Language and includes subtitles, aims to teach deaf children about the Underwear Rule and encourages them to share secrets that upset them with a trusted adult.

The successful guidance is designed to allow children to understand that their privates are private and to remember that their body belongs to them.

The video was written by deaf journalist and scriptwriter Charlie Swinbourne (who is also the Editor of this site) and was produced by Liverpool Street Productions.

The film features two scenarios, featuring a boy aged 10 and a young girl aged 7.

The Underwear Rule guide is already helping the police catch perpetrators – last year Ron Wood, 60, of Chaddesden, was jailed for eight years after being found guilty of four counts of sexually assaulting a three year-old girl.

The girl’s mother reported Wood to the police after she taught her daughter the Underwear Rule and the young girl told her about the abuse.

Deaf filmmaker Bim Ajadi, who directed the film, said: 

As a father myself, I know how important it is to find different ways of explaining such important messages to your children. And as a Deaf film-maker, I’m very aware that producing films in British Sign Language is a great way of communicating information to Deaf audiences.

We wanted to use drama as a way to bring families together, showing parents explaining and reinforcing messages.  We hope that the film is supportive and not scary, so that children can respond in a way appropriate to their age and understanding.

Jon Brown, Head of the NSPCC’s Strategy and Development for Sexual Abuse programmes said:

Research indicates that deaf children are more vulnerable to abuse due to communication barriers and we need to make sure they know the areas of their bodies that are private and where they can seek help if they need to.

This is exactly why we are launching an Underwear Rule video for deaf children – which includes British Sign Language and subtitles.

Our Underwear Rule campaign is already proving successful – 400,000 more parents have now had conversations with their children about keeping safe from abuse and it is even helping to catch sex offenders – which is why it is so important all children have access to it.

Background information about the Underwear Rule campaign can be found at:www.nspcc.org.uk/conversations

If you think a child is worried after watching this video then please encourage them to contact ChildLine by emailing or using online chat at childline.org/Talk or by calling 0800 1111

If you’re an adult with a concern about a child, or you would like advice please contact the NSPCC for free through our SignVideo Service at nspcc.signvideo.co.uk by texting 88858 emailing help@nspcc.org.uk or calling 0808 800 5000

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