Assoc. Prof. Slávka Karkošková from FSE UJEP Joins International Discussion on Grooming Prevention
The issue of grooming and the prevention of child sexual abuse brought together experts and students from the Czech Republic, India, and the United States. Representing the Faculty of Social and Economic Studies at Jan Evangelista Purkyně University (FSE UJEP), Assoc. Prof. Slávka Karkošková, guarantor of the Social Work study programmes and a member of the European Commission’s Network for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, took part in the international discussion.
On 6 August 2026, the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in India hosted a screening of the film Broken Voices (Sbormistr), followed by an online discussion focusing on grooming, institutional safety, and the prevention of child sexual abuse. The event connected representatives of the Together Against Grooming (TAG) initiative with academics and students from KIIT, as well as a 38-member delegation from the City University of New York (CUNY).
Alongside Assoc. Prof. Slávka Karkošková, the discussion featured Jiří Konečný, producer of Broken Voices and founder of Endorfilm, and Gabriela Plattner, coordinator of the TAG initiative. The debate explored the mechanisms of grooming, the abuse of institutional authority, the role of the social environment, and practical ways to create safer environments for children and young people.
The event demonstrated that the need to recognise grooming and strengthen preventive measures resonates across cultures. As part of the programme, participants also completed an anonymous survey examining their perceptions of the film, their understanding of grooming dynamics, and the cultural transferability of its themes.
FSE UJEP and Endorfilm Connected Through a Cooperation Agreement
FSE UJEP’s involvement in the initiative is part of a long-term collaboration. In December 2025, FSE UJEP and Endorfilm signed a Memorandum of Cooperation, building on the professional collaboration between Assoc. Prof. Slávka Karkošková and the creators of Broken Voices. The agreement provides a framework for joint educational, awareness-raising, and research activities.
The Together Against Grooming (TAG) initiative uses Broken Voices as a tool for prevention, education, and raising awareness about grooming, manipulation, and the abuse of trust. The partnership includes film screenings followed by expert-facilitated discussions, the integration of the film into teaching at FSE UJEP, research activities, facilitator training, and pilot screenings for primary and secondary schools in the Ústí Region.
The collaboration with KIIT in India and CUNY in the United States represents another important step in the international development of the initiative. It also opens new opportunities for academic partnerships, research, and the sharing of best practices in the prevention of grooming across countries and cultures.