A new awareness campaign, aimed at empowering parents and children to talk about child sexual abuse, has been launched.

The #FEBaware campaign is being run by CARI, a voluntary organisation that provides child-centred specialised therapy and support services to children, families and groups affected by child sexual abuse.

According to CARI executive director, Eve Farrelly, the campaign, which will run throughout February, aims to empower families to start a conversation about child sexual abuse.

"By having ongoing communication with our children, we are providing them with a safe adult that they can turn to if something happens. Talking to our children when sexual abuse is not happening, can empower children to speak quicker if something does.

"Silence is the oxygen to sexual abuse. To gain traction and to have longevity, sexual abuse needs silence. So we want to help families to start talking," she explained.

Each week in February, CARI will deal with a different aspect of abuse. This week's focus is the different services that the organisation provides, while the second week will look at sexually harmful behaviours in young children.

The third week will focus on peer-to-peer abuse among teenagers, while week four will look at the issue of grooming and how this has changed due to the advancement of technology.

This is an online awareness campaign, which you can follow throughout February on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. For more information, click here.

The CARI national helpline is open Monday to Friday, from 9.30am to 5.30pm. Call 1890 924 567.