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After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Impact Data - STOP IT NOW! Campaign

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Market Street Research conducted a random digit dial telephone survey of public opinions and attitudes toward child abuse in 1995, 1997, and 1999 of 200 people living in Vermont. The data listed here also reflect the results of a survey conducted in 2002 by the Vermont Center for the Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Abusers.

Knowledge Shifts
There was a 40% increase in the number of people who could define sexual abuse (from 44.5% in 1995 to 84.5% in 1999), a 10% increase in respondents who could identify at least one warning sign (from 27.5% in 1995 to 38% in 1999), and a 6% increase in the number who conceded that abusers were likely to live in their neighborhoods (from 67% in 1995 to 73.7% in 1999).
Practices
118 adults and juveniles voluntarily stepped forward for help, which also means a report to the legal system.
Attitudes
In 1999, 80.2% of Vermonters said that they would take direct action if they definitely knew about a case of sexual abuse. This represents a 10% increase over the number so willing in 1997. If they merely suspect abuse, respondents in the 1999 survey would report abuse 6% more often than those in the 1997 survey.
Access
STOP IT NOW!'s help lines have taken 2,009 calls since 1995, 352 from people who identified themselves as abusers or at risk for abusing. Another 1,299 calls were from adults who knew an abuser or someone at risk for abusing.

Among the Vermont population of 580,000, 15% of the 657 callers to the helpline came from abusers and 50% came from people who know the abuser and/or victim.

Vermont callers reported hearing about the hotline as follows:
  • 24.5% from traditional media (radio: 12.3%; newspapers: 8.5%; television: 3.7%)
  • 28.8% from the STOP IT NOW! VERMONT website
  • 25.2% from professionals in the field, other helplines, and agencies
  • 5.8% from friends, presentations, workshops, or not willing to share.
Source
Materials sent from Joan Tabachnick of Stop It Now! to The Communication Initiative on March 3 and 6, 2003.