admin
When Elliot Costello traveled to Cambodia, he met a lively young girl named Thea whose brightly painted nails seemed like an innocent childhood habit. But as he spent more time with her, Elliot learned the heartbreaking truth: Thea had survived sexual abuse. One afternoon, she asked to paint one of his nails. Elliot agreed, and during that simple moment, he promised he would keep the nail polished to remember her and the millions of children who suffer similar trauma.
That single gesture inspired the creation of Polished Man, a global movement where men paint one fingernail to represent the statistic that one in five children experience sexual violence. The goal is to spark conversations, raise awareness, and challenge harmful behaviors and attitudes. Since men are responsible for most cases of abuse worldwide, Elliot believes they must also be part of the solution. The campaign supports prevention programs and services for survivors, with many public figures helping spread the message. What began with Thea became a worldwide call to protect children.
