Lena Ljungdahl: “I have seen at close quarters time and again how the adult world lets children down.”

Lena Ljungdahl is a fearless defender of children’s right to safety. With over 15 years of experience as both a teacher and a police officer, she has witnessed time and again how society fails the most vulnerable children. Today, Lena is strongly committed to ensuring that the adult world not only sees, but also acts to protect children from all forms of exploitation, including sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Share a personal story or reflect on someone who has had a strong impact on your engagement.
I am a trained teacher, have worked as a police officer for many years and since 2015 have worked almost full-time on safety and security issues in the school environment. Protecting the vulnerable has always been one of my strongest motivations. I have seen up close and personal how the adult world fails children in various ways.

Why have you chosen to get involved in stopping the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children?
This area is important to me because I see and have seen the consequences of it. It’s an area that affects children’s lives forever, and I want to be part of creating change. I truly believe that we can make a difference, if we all get involved in the right way.

What issues in the field (sexual exploitation of children) concern you most?
I always think that public education is important. It must be easy to get it right. Schools and other social actors that have influence over children’s well-being and development must have clear, easy and adequate procedures to be able to prevent, detect and, in the worst case, address issues in this area.

Working with vulnerable children can be mentally challenging. What are your top tips for re-energizing?
Yes, sometimes you have to break down. For me, animals, nature and culture are the best medicine. A walk in the woods with my dog and then consume some culture in the evening – preferably a concert!