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Three of Australia’s leading child protection organisations have today launched e-kidna – an advocacy group promoting system change and education to keep kids safe.
Launching on Children’s Week and with the goal to empower Australians to recognise, react and report child sexual abuse, e-kidna will loudly advocate to all levels of government for the protection of kids. Holding 80 years of combined experience, e-kidna will also offer an online resource hub for parents, carers, and those with children in their lives to gain understanding, tools, and information.
The need for the alliance is clear – despite the three organisations working tirelessly alongside others to prevent and address child sexual abuse – the harrowing statistics continue to rise.
More than 1 in 3 Australian girls, and almost 1 in 5 boys have experienced child sexual abuse, representing almost 30% of Australian children*.
“National child abuse prevention strategies are overdue. The welfare of children is at stake. We want action, we want to continue to keep kids safe right now and into the future,” says Daniel Morcombe Foundation Co-Founder, Denise Morcombe.
Bravehearts CEO, Alison Geale, says parents and carers have a crucial role to play when it comes to preventing the crime of child sexual abuse.
“Child sexual abuse is preventable. Responsible adults can make a difference, their education plays a significant role in protection,” she says.
The joint initiative comes off the back of the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, released earlier this year, which highlights the urgent need for strategies and interventions to reduce the number of children in Australia experiencing, and at risk of, all forms of abuse, including sexual abuse.
Findings from the study reveal the shocking reality that 1 in 4 Australians have experienced child sexual abuse*, proving the crime so pervasive as to require a joint response from all those working in the child safety sector, parents, child-facing organisations, and the community at large.
“It takes a whole community working together to prevent child sexual abuse. It can’t be tackled without collaboration, sharing and learning,” says Act for Kids CEO, Dr Katrina Lines.
E-kidna offers an online resource hub for parents, carers, and those with children in their lives to gain understanding, tools, and information at e-kidna.com.au.
*Australian Child Maltreatment Study ACMS 2023