Let’s give you an example. Think back to when you were a child. How likely did you want to speak up if you thought you would get in trouble, bother your caretaker, or flat out be ignored? (Now obviously, this depends on the personality (you could have been a unicorn and not cared)!
This may not be so severe when the kid wants to ask for ice cream before dinner (they probably know the answer). However, it can be catastrophic when a child is experiencing or witnessing things like abuse (emotional/physical/sexual), neglect, kidnapping, murder, etc.
According to the Washington State Department of Children, Youth & Families, one of the best ways to help prevent child abuse is by, “Teach[ing] children their rights. When children are taught they are special and have the right to be safe, they are less likely to think abuse is their fault, and more likely to report an offender.”
Frankly, adults are the same! People will report situations if they feel as though they have the right to be safe! Thus, fostering that feeling within a company is mandatory. To do so, the employees need to trust their leaders, understand the company values, and identify with them!