When Elliot Costello and a group of other people visited Cambodia, he had an encounter with a young girl named Thea.

Little did Elliot know that this encounter would have an impact so profound on him that it would help start a movement whose goal is to end sexual abuse against children.

Namely, Thea always had nail polish on her tiny nails. One day, as she and Elliot chatted, she asked to paint one of his nails. He agreed and was happy to speak to the chatty girl, but he then learned that she was once a victim of sexual abuse.

“As she painted one of my nails, I assured her I would always keep it that way to remember her, and by extension, her suffering,” Elliot said.

This motivated Elliot to try and make positive change among men so that less and less children fall victims of sexual abuse.

That is when he came up with the movement called #PolishedMan where men put nail polish on one of their nails. That one nail represents the one in five children who will be victims of sexual violence.

Polished Man works towards ending sexual violence against children. According to the organization, “being a Polished Man means challenging violent behavior and language, both locally and globally.”

Elliot believes that since men are responsible for 96% of this type of violence against children globally, they should be catalyst for change if we are ever to see an end to the abuse of innocent children.

The goal with the painted nail isn’t just to remind people of the number of children who are abused every single day, but to serve as a conversation starter about this reality, leading to new ideas about prevention. He also hopes that people will start donating to “support educational programs and resources for child survivors of abuse,” as per APlus.

We hope that more men, including celebrities

Boxer who failed gender eligibility test Imane Khelif wins gold medal in Olympic final

Last year, the International Olympic Committee made the significant decision to revoke its recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA) as a global governing entity, citing various concerns related to ethics, financial practices, and governance issues. Additionally, the Olympic committee criticized the IBA’s gender testing procedures, labeling them as ‘illegitimate’ and unworthy of any further discussion. Khelif, who was raised as a girl and is identified as female on her passport, spoke about the impact of this controversy during an interview with SNTV on August 4. The 25-year-old athlete expressed in Arabic, “I urge everyone around the world to uphold the principles of the Olympics and the Olympic Charter, and to avoid bullying athletes, as it has profound consequences. It can devastate individuals, harm their mental well-being, and create divisions among people. Therefore, I implore them to stop the bullying. I maintain contact with my family twice a week and hope they are not too deeply affected. They are concerned for my well-being. With hope, I believe this crisis will lead to a gold medal, which would be the most fitting response.”

I believe the Olympic Committee has rendered a fair decision, and I am pleased with this outcome as it reflects the truth. I am indifferent to others’ opinions. My focus is on competing for a medal, and I am determined to strive for improvement, with God’s help. I will continue to enhance my skills, just like every other athlete. Khelif’s father also shared his thoughts with the Daily Mail, stating, “Imane has been passionate about sports since she was six, starting with football. The critics and rumors are intended to undermine her, as they do not wish for her to become a world champion. I encourage her to demonstrate her capabilities in the ring, and I hope she brings honor to Algeria and the Arab nations by winning the gold medal. She serves as our role model, inspiring us to emulate her and bring pride to Algeria and Tiaret.”