Working towards a future without childhood sexual abuse

In this episode, Alisa Hall describes her work as Director, Practice Development and Engagement at the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse. The National Centre was established in recognition of data showing that one in three girls and one in five boys experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18.

Much of Alisa’s work provides knowledge resources to non-specialist practitioners and organisations who increasingly meet with children and young people affected by child sexual abuse. This work follows a study from the National Centre that reinforced the need for practice confidence in identifying and responding to signs of child sexual abuse.

Alisa describes the National Centre’s key messages about child sexual abuse being everyone’s business, meaning that every professional working with children and young people has a role to play in supporting them where sexual abuse has occurred. The hope is that this helps to overcome the forces of secrecy that prevent so many disclosures. Alisa is informed by the key tenets of transparency, safety and trust in providing support for children and young people, and is dedicated to providing resources that develop confidence in these practices.

In this episode you will learn about:   

• how the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse was formed and why it exists [1:54]
• the National Centre’s community attitude study, which reported on confidence of professionals and community members to identify and respond to children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse [5:28]
• the insidious nature of grooming on children and young people and how perpetrators use this to manipulate children and young people [15:15]
• victim and survivor experiences of sexual abuse and how we can listen to them to develop stronger responses in the future [22:36]
• the potential for new knowledges and practices that can come through the learnings from the Australian Childhood Maltreatment Study [27:28]
• future directions in policy and practice in working with children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse [30:39]

Further information and resources: 

Supporting children who disclose trauma – Emerging Minds online course

Preventing self-blame after disclosures of child sexual abuse

Supporting children who have been sexually abused – Emerging Minds