Today I have released the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy’s First Annual Report which provides an update on the implementation of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030.
Today also marks the sixth anniversary of the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse delivering its Final Report.
The release of the Royal Commission’s Final Report in 2017 turned a spotlight onto the darkest corners of society and made 409 recommendations on how to improve laws, policies and practices to prevent and better respond to child sexual abuse in institutions.
In response, all Australian Governments are collaborating on the implementation of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030 – a whole-of-nation framework for preventing child sexual abuse in all settings – including within organisations, online, within families and by other people known and unknown to the child or young person.
The Annual Report builds upon the Australian Government’s previous five years of annual reporting from 2018 on the implementation of the Royal Commission’s recommendations directed wholly or partially at the Australian Government.
The Australian Government is committed to continuing to address the Royal Commission’s recommendations, and to being transparent and accountable in how we are acting to prevent and respond to all forms of child sexual abuse.
We honour the contributions of victims and survivors and their advocates to the development and implementation of the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy. Their collective expertise and commitment to addressing child sexual abuse has been embedded in the actions outlined in the Annual Report.
The Annual Report demonstrates that improvements are taking place and acknowledges there is still much more work to be done.
In October, we released Australia’s first national campaign aimed at preventing child sexual abuse. The campaign aims to increase the national conversation about child sexual abuse to protect children and young people, and reduce shame and stigma for victims and survivors.
Every child and young person has the right to be safe from child sexual abuse, and it is our collective responsibility to protect them. Governments, organisations and individuals all have a role to play in creating safe environments for children and young people, and that is why we all need to continue having .
Child sexual abuse is preventable. We are committed to continuing to work in collaboration with states and territories, victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, organisations and the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Strategy’s priority groups to improve laws, policies and practices that prevent child sexual abuse.
Child sexual abuse prevention is everyone’s business. Working together, we can prevent child sexual abuse and better support those who have already experienced it.
