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Here's a bedtime story that can stop child abuse.

  • Writer: Richard Hol
    Richard Hol
  • Feb 18, 2018
  • 2 min read

Updated: Oct 10, 2024

Working on this project for the Council of Europe was incredibly special, as it aimed not only to raise awareness but to provide parents and children with an active method to prevent child abuse.


We began with an insight: children aged 2-5 often cannot distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate intimacy, particularly when the abuser is someone they know, which is common in most cases. This makes it almost impossible for them to recognize abuse.


To address this, we created the 'Underwear Rule'—a simple, easy-to-understand guideline that teaches young children about personal boundaries, specifically where they shouldn't be touched.


Since conventional media wouldn’t reach children this young, we chose a medium they consume daily: bedtime stories. This gave me the opportunity to co-author my first children’s book, designed to help parents explain the Underwear Rule in an accessible and gentle way. I had the invaluable guidance of experienced children’s authors, who taught me the art of writing for such a young audience.


The Underwear Rule was rolled out across Europe by the Council of Europe, and one of the highlights of my career was launching the campaign in Rome in 2010 alongside Italy’s Minister for Equal Opportunity, Maria Carfagna.


The campaign earned 1 Gold in Government Advertising, 1 Silver in Storytelling, and 1 Silver in Design at the Prague International Advertising Festival.


I’m proud to have developed this idea with Ecco Vos, Seyoan Vela, and Colin Lamberton.

Watch the case study.



TV Commercial



We published a children's book in different European languages.

Press ads

Kiko on Spanish TV News



Children from a primary school in Belgrade, Serbia, performed the story of Kiko and the Hand as a school play

to educate other kids about abuse.



A TV interview with the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe for the launch of the campaign in 17 countries.







One of the first test films by Argentinian animators Punga.



The Underwear Rule on Spanish evening news.



At the European launch of The Underwear Rule in Rome with Italian Minister for Equal Opportunity Maria Carfagna and Grey Managing Director Hazelle Klonhammer.

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