PACE

Towards Hope

Raising Awareness and Reducing Stigma Around Child Exploitation

Parents Against Child Exploitation (PACE) supports families impacted by child exploitation through advocacy, training, and partnerships with police and family services. They asked us to create an animation to raise awareness of the warning signs and reduce stigma for parents. The goal was to support their mission by encouraging greater understanding and empathy, helping professionals and the public respond more compassionately to families facing these challenging situations.

Illustration of a diverse group of people standing together with heart-shaped balloons, symbolizing love, support, and community across generations.
Illustration of a group of children in a dark room with glowing heart balloons, surrounded by open doors casting light, symbolizing hope, isolation, and the search for support.
Illustration of two people placing a bridge over a gap while a diverse group with heart balloons watches, symbolizing support, connection, and creating safe paths for others.

Real Stories, Real Understanding

We produced a 2D character animation titled Towards Hope for PACE, working closely with parents whose children had been exploited. Their real voices and stories form the heart of the film, challenging stigma and sharing the emotional impact of blame. The animation encourages empathy and awareness, supporting PACE’s mission to foster more compassionate, informed responses from professionals, educators and communities facing the realities of child exploitation.

Illustration of a sad boy standing alone in an arcade, holding a heart-shaped balloon, surrounded by machines and a wall of staring eyes, symbolizing loneliness and vulnerability.

Using Visual Metaphors to Show Emotional Impact

We used heart-shaped balloons as a visual metaphor for emotional wellbeing throughout the animation. As the child experiences exploitation, their balloon deflates and fades, symbolising the toll on their mental health and the emotional ripple effect on the family.

As the family begins to speak out and access support, the balloons gradually regain colour and lift. Dark tones represent isolation, shame and blame, while lighter colours signal hope, healing and connection. This visual storytelling reinforces the animation’s core message of resilience, empathy and the power of support.

A glowing pink heart-shaped balloon floats against a dark background, symbolizing love, hope, and emotional warmth in contrast to its surrounding darkness.