Senator Catryna Bilyk today called on all Tasmanian adults to get involved in preventing child abuse in their community.
“All Australian children deserve to be loved and nurtured but, as much as we hate to admit it, there are children in our local community who are being abused. It’s up to us, all of us, to take a stand and start finding ways to prevent this abuse from happening,” says Senator Bilyk,
“NAPCAN (National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) is offering us a simple first step – by going online at www.preventingchildabuse.com.au we can answer a simple survey which will contribute to the creation of more effective strategies to prevent the abuse of Australia ’s children.”
The survey is part of a campaign initiated by NAPCAN to help bring down the walls which surround child abuse – walls of denial, fear and disinterest.
Over 30,000 Australian kids are physically and psychologically abused each year with 1 in 4 girls, and 1 in 7 boys being sexually abused before they are 18.
“We have a responsibility to act on these appalling statistics. We have to find ways to prevent this abuse in our community, and it starts with everyone taking the first step.”
“As Co-Convenor of Parliamentarians Against Child Abuse and Neglect (PACAN), I am firmly committed to protecting children in any way that I can. I am among the more than 12,000 Australians that have already taken the first step and answered the survey”.
In the largest survey of its kind in Australia, NAPCAN is aiming for 50,000 responses by the time the survey closes on1 November.
“This survey is one way that everyone can help to protect our children and I encourage people from all walks of life to take a few minutes out from their busy schedules and complete it.
“Better still, don’t just complete the survey but send it on to your friends and family-together, we can make a difference.”
Senator Catryna Bilyk Labor Senator for Tasmania
