CU Launches 'If You Look Closely, You Can See' Campaign to Prevent Child Abuse Crimes

A customer is looking at a child abuse prevention hologram sticker attached to the refrigerator at CU Yeoksam branch. (Photo by BGF Retail)

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] BGF Retail, the operator of CU, is conducting a nationwide campaign called "If You Look Closely, You Can See" to prevent child abuse crimes in collaboration with the National Police Agency until the 20th.

BGF Retail first partnered with the National Police Agency in 2017 to develop a POS reporting system and launched the child disappearance prevention campaign "iCU," which safely protects lost children (including dementia patients, intellectually disabled, autistic, and mentally disabled individuals) at CU stores and hands them over to the police and guardians.

In August, they added a child abuse crime reporting function that allows store employees to immediately report suspected child abuse situations to the police through the POS system, establishing a comprehensive child safety network based on the iCU system.

The current "If You Look Closely, You Can See" campaign involves attaching specially made child abuse crime prevention hologram stickers to beverage refrigerators in CU stores nationwide to raise public awareness about preventing child abuse.

The child abuse crime prevention hologram sticker shows different images depending on the customer's eye level or angle: a child smiling brightly or crying. Through the hologram, it conveys the message that we need to pay attention and carefully observe our surroundings to detect and protect children who are being abused early.

Starting from the 9th of this month, CU will attach these stickers to the handles of beverage refrigerators, the places most frequently seen by customers inside the stores, to attract more attention.

Additionally, a checklist outlining the exact criteria for reporting child abuse crimes and a QR code linking to the child abuse crime prevention pledge are included at the bottom of the hologram sticker.

Furthermore, customers who wish to join CU’s child abuse crime prevention efforts can participate as child crime prevention supporters by scanning the QR code.

CU’s campaign targeting not only franchise owners and staff but also all customers visiting the stores emphasizes that active reporting by many people is crucial to preventing child abuse crimes.

According to statistics from the Child Rights Protection Agency under the Ministry of Health and Welfare, about 80% of child abuse crimes are committed by parents or family members, and due to the victims’ age characteristics, they find it difficult to report abuse themselves, making the attention and reporting by those around them essential.

Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has become practically difficult for mandatory reporters such as school and daycare teachers and psychological counselors to report child abuse, resulting in a roughly 7% decrease in suspected child abuse reports compared to the same period last year.

Min Seung-bae, Head of BGF Retail’s Business Support Office, said, “On the occasion of World Child Abuse Prevention Day on November 19, we will take the lead in creating a social atmosphere and system through CU nationwide where more people can be alert to child abuse crimes and anyone can immediately report suspected child abuse situations.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.