In Australia research and annual statistical data show that most children who are abused are abused by someone they know and trust and that most Sexually Transmitted Diseases cases can be found in children.
It is a conservative estimate that 40,000 Australian children and young people every year will suffer from child sexual abuse and most will never speak about it.
Another concerning trend is that approximately a third of all child sexual abuse notifications relate to an adolescent offender.
Whilst the majority of child victims will NOT go on to commit child sexual offences, a small number will. It is from this number that we can conclude that there is a victim to offender cycle emerging in children which will carry through to adulthood unless intervention is provided.
It is estimated that 1 in 4 children in Australia will be the subject of unwanted sexual activity before the age of 18 years.
The issue of child abuse seems so widespread that it is important, if not vital, to educate children and young people at school, in churches, in sporting environments, in the home and within the wider community on ways in which they themselves can play a part in their personal safety.
As identified by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, education is a vital part of the process of preventing and detecting child sexual abuse.
'The sexual abuse of children is not just a problem from the past. Child sexual abuse in institutions continues today. We were told of many cases of abuse that occurred in the last 10 to 15 years in a range of institutions, including schools, religious institutions, foster and kinship care, respite care, health and allied services, performing arts institutions, childcare centres and youth groups. We heard in private sessions from children as young as 11 years of age who had been recently abused. In some case studies into schools the abuse was so recent that the abused children are still attending school. We have learned that cultures and practices in some institutions allowed abuse to occur and continue’.
The Protective Behaviours Program was written by Peg Flandreau West in the `1980s in Wisconsin USA. Today it is internationally recognised as the forefront of prevention education for children and young people the world over.
This workshop is designed to teach service providers including teachers, teaching support staff, child care centres and creches, youth organisations, police, child protection workers, indigenous organisations, domestic violence and residential care services together with churches and sporting organisations the program in order that they in turn teach the program to the children and young people in their care/service.
Furthermore this workshop has been designed to assist your organisation and staff understand the causes of child abuse and neglect and to develop appropriate education intervention strategies to assist prevention and empower individual children and young people.
Please contact us to arrange a proposal and quotation for your individual requirements.
All workshops have been developed and delivered by our highly skilled, highly experienced team of professionals. This workshop can also be customised to meet the needs of your organisation and staff.
For more information please contact our office at wacpso@gmail.com or call 08 9497 2777.
