Parents play a critical role as primary protectors in the prevention of child sexual abuse. Research consistently highlights the importance of parental awareness, open communication, and proactive engagement in fostering protective environments. #NCPW2025 #EveryConversationMatters #ChildProtection

I have been having incredible conversations around resiliency and what sustains us in the work we do. Every day, our teams hold space for people navigating profound trauma. To do this work, we need to feel safe: safe to speak up, safe to lean on each other, and safe to know that our voices matter.

Recent revelations of systemic child abuse within Australian childcare centres have sparked outrage and underscored critical failures in safeguarding protocols. Ben Mathews' recent @aunz.theconversation.com piece highlights the need to a prioritise child safety. theconversation.com/10-steps-gov...

No matter how many horrific stories of sexual harm I hear, it always impacts. Every child deserves to feel safe and valued, especially in environments designed to nurture their growth and development. Preventing sexual abuse in childcare centres is imperative. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07...

Children and young people are not just users of technology, they are innovators, creators, and future leaders. Yet, their voices are often missing from the rooms where tech policy is made. Let’s shift the narrative: #TechPolicy must be co-designed with young people, not just for them. #YouthVoices

In my humble opinion, addressing bullying requires collective action from schools, families, tech platforms, and communities to promote kindness, accountability, and safe environments both online and offline. #KindnessMatters#StopBullying #BullyingPrevention #StandUpToBullying

It is important to understand that sexual abuse doesn’t begin with violence. It often begins with grooming. #ChildProtection #Grooming #GroomingAwareness #GroomingHidesBehindHarmless #SexualAbusePrevention #TraumaInformedCare #SupportSurvivors bravehearts.org.au/about-child-...

The @childrenscomm.bsky.social called on the UK govt to ban apps that generate deepfake images of children. We need all govts to recognise that ‘nudify apps’ are designed to harass, abuse and extort victims, and to ban these apps and ensure removal from all app stores. tinyurl.com/yebhd48d

This morning I read the below article - it is heartbreaking to hear that, over 21 years since the release of the Protecting Children report (and countless other State and Territory reviews), children and young people are having the same experiences within the system. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05...

The theme of this year's National Families Week #NFW25 IS "Lending a hand to thrive: supporting each other". Studies show the crucial role family members can play after abuse has been identified, especially when they are properly supported. #NationalFamiliesWeek #LendingAHandToThrive nfw.org.au

#FridayMorningThoughts I had a conversation last night, with a colleague. We were talking about how important it is to be surrounded by people who inspire us to be the best we can be, who allow us to spread our wings (rather than try to clip them!). #Connectedness #Belonging #Support

Sexual offending by females is both under-reported and under-recognised. Recognising female sex offenders is imperative for ensuring justice and support to all victims. journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

As a white Australian, I always feel such a strong sense of connection when listening to Welcome to Country. This is not just an acknowledgment of the incredible history of this land we all live on, but is a sign of respect and protocol which dates back to traditional times prior to colonisation.

So privileged to do meaningful work. A joint submission I’m coordinating calling for the abolition of corporal punishment in Australia has made its way to key international research leaders in the field. Honoured they are reaching out to endorse.

Today is Youth Homelessness Matters Day #YHMD25 Youth homelessness is a growing issue, driven by family violence/breakdown, system failures, housing affordability, social isolation and poverty. Join the call for a national strategy to end youth homelessness: yfoundations.org.au/yhmd-petition/

Over the weekend I watched the documentary series, ‘Bad Influence’, on #Netflix. The series investigates the risks associated with content creation involving minors, addressing allegations of abuse and exploitation. #Kidfluencers #BadInfluence #ChildExploitation abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/n...

Up at 3:30am to board my flight to Sydney at 5:30am… settled in for a quick breakfast at Darling Harbour before an all day workshop (developing a Children’s Online Privacy Code with Reset Tech an the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner)

I recently was doing a bit of a deep dive into client engagement in therapeutic processes. We recognise the importance of understanding a client’s engagement and the implications for positive outcomes. #TherapeuticIntervention #ClientOutcomes www.mentalhealthacademy.com.au/blog/complia...

Research indicates a strong correlation between experiencing sexual trauma and the development of significant mental health challenges in boys and men. We urgently need to remove the barriers that prevent boys and men from speaking out and talking about traumatic experiences.

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When we think of resources for online safety, we often focus on primary and secondary schools. For all of my amazing, university contacts, eSafety has resources specifically tailored for tertiary professionals. #OnlineSafety #TertiaryEducation www.esafety.gov.au/educators/to...

Adele’s excellent and truly disturbing Four Corners story on childcare on Monday night has sparked a NSW inquiry. In August, Four Corners will have been holding truth to power for 64 years. We are grateful for your support. www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

Attending the #Brisbane launch of the brilliant (I want to be her when I grow up) Jess Hill’s Losing It: Can we stop violence against women and children #booklaunch #LosingIt

It is critical to take a holistic approach to preventing child sexual abuse. In this article, @mike-salter.bsky.social and Kelly Maree Austin explore the barriers to support for secondary prevention programs. #CSAprevention #SecondaryPrevention #PoliticalWill www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1...

AI tools are increasingly shaping our lives, affecting our perceptions, beliefs, and behaviors. While all technologies have both positive and negative effects, the ramifications of artificial intelligence brings serious challenges and heightened risks. www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/...

THREAD: Judy Courtin, a solicitor representing survivors of institutional abuse, not mincing words about legal approach of the Catholic Church in an opinion piece in The Saturday Paper today arguing for law reform following High Court Bird v DP decision: www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topi...

The readiness of “digital rights” activists to throw sexually abused children under the bus to defend end-to-end encryption is extraordinary. They don’t hesitate, they don’t blink, they don’t propose effective alternatives.

This is utterly appalling! Clearly this is a trauma response. Perpetrators instill shame and blame in victims of sexual abuse, a child victim not wanting to be video-recorded is perfectly understandable. #JusticeShouldntHurt #TakeTheStand #TraumaResponse www.abc.net.au/news/2025-03...

A ‘just’ child sexual abuse prevention framework calls for the need to 1) improve safety and wellbeing, 2) produce sustained safety benefits, 3) be equitable and accessible to all children and communities, and 4) be achievable within available resources. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

My passion for speaking about the the importance of understanding lived experience of sexual abuse comes from my belief that experience matters, that survivor voice is powerful and can bring change to protect others: we just have to listen and we just have to hear. #SurvivorVoices #YourVoiceMatters

The extensive impacts of child sexual abuse and child sexual abuse material are considerable, yet the impact on non-offending partners and family members have been rarely discussed. We need to do better, for all victims of csa/csam, including secondary victims. www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A recently released research report by the Office of the eSafety Commissioner (esafety.gov.au/research/chi...), reveals that 80% of the surveyed children aged 8 to 12 used one or more of the eight social media services in 2024, despite policies prohibiting users under 13.

#OnlineRisks (as well as opportunities) are rapidly evolving. #AI companions are #chatbot applications that use AI to replicate personal interactions through conversations that resemble human dialogue. The #eSafetyCommissioner has launched info for families: www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/blo...

In this article, we look at the various factors that impact the rates of referral to, engagement in, and successful completion of therapeutic interventions after child sexual abuse has been disclosed or detected. www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

As we commemorate the 17th anniversary of former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's significant #NationalApology to the #StolenGenerations, First Nations children remain significantly over-represented at all levels of the Australian child protection system. healingfoundation.org.au/are-you-wait...

We need more safe spaces, we need safe spaces where victims and survivors of child sexual abuse and exploitation can share as little or as much as they want, where stories can be told, where the shame dies, spaces that empower individuals and voice 💜

#SID2015 #SaferInternetDay This year's theme, ‘Together, for a better internet’, is particularly significant in Australia, where discussions about digital identities, social media regulations, and safeguarding our most vulnerable are intensifying. www.esafety.gov.au/newsroom/wha...

Research shared by Thorn: 1 in 7 young people aged between 9 and 17 has admitted to sharing nudes; 46% reported sharing explicit content with someone they only interacted with online. #SaferInternetDay #SID2025 www.thorn.org/research/sta...

Very excited to be heading to Sydney this afternoon to participate in a collaborative workshop involving young survivors and advocates aimed at developing guidelines for enhancing trauma-informed practices and increasing awareness of survivor experiences in the context of respectful relationships.