Child sexual abuse is a distressing reality that affects individuals and communities worldwide. The Australian Government’s ‘One Talk at a Time’ campaign aims to address the issue by educating parents, caregivers and the broader community on strategies to prevent child sexual abuse. By fostering informed and proactive discussions, this initiative emphasises the role of communities in creating safe and protective environments for children and young people.
A Comprehensive Approach to Education and Awareness
The ‘One Talk at a Time’ campaign is specifically targeted at adults who play an active role in the lives of children and young people. It encourages them to have ongoing, proactive, and preventive conversations about child sexual abuse. In addressing child sexual abuse, the campaign adopts a multi-faceted approach, offering a range of resources to empower parents and caregivers.
A key resource as part of the campaign is the storybook My superhero voice which provides an age-appropriate way for all adults, including those from diverse backgrounds, to discuss sensitive topics and have preventative conversations with children.
The campaign also incorporates tools and materials to help families navigate challenging conversations about child safety and abuse prevention.
These resources are designed to:
- Educate parents and caregivers on recognising the signs of child sexual abuse.
- Offer practical tips on initiating and sustaining open conversations about safety and boundaries.
- Highlight the importance of creating a supportive environment where children feel comfortable speaking up about their concerns.
The campaign demonstrates the power that breaking the culture of silence and shame can have in preventing child sexual abuse.
The Importance of Proactive Conversations
An important step to breaking the culture of silence and shame is to talk about child sexual abuse. Although challenging, it is a necessary step in fostering a culture of safety and awareness. The ‘One Talk at a Time’ campaign underscores the importance of early and ongoing conversations to:
- Build trust between children and their caregivers.
- Teach children how to recognise inappropriate behaviour and establish personal boundaries.
- Encourage children to seek help if they feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
The campaign’s emphasis on open dialogue is particularly vital among culturally diverse communities, where stigma and cultural barriers can make discussing such topics even more difficult.
Breaking the Stigma in the Filipino Community
For Filipino-Australian families, integrating conversations about child sexual abuse into everyday life is a powerful step towards breaking the silence and building a safer future for all children. In Filipino culture, the concept of “hiya” (embarrassment or reluctance to discuss sensitive topics) often influences interpersonal interactions and makes it challenging to have open conversations on sensitive topics in family settings. The ‘One Talk at a Time’ campaign, however, helps reframe having these conversations as an important act of love and protection, encouraging adults to take a lead on these talks.
Specific strategies that resonate with Filipino families include:
- Highlighting the Role of Family Values: Emphasise how safeguarding children aligns with the deeply rooted Filipino value of “pamilya” (family). Parents, grandparents and caregivers can be encouraged to view these conversations as an extension of their duty to protect and nurture their children.
- Community Engagement: Leveraging Filipino community groups and organisations to spread awareness. These groups can facilitate workshops, forums, and safe spaces for families to learn and discuss.
- Storytelling: Storytelling is also a widely embraced method of education in Filipino culture. The storybook My superhero voice is a culturally-sensitive, safe and practical resource that Filipino families can download online for free. Amongst other diverse characters, the story includes the Filipino Reyes family, who teach the protagonist about how they use their culture to help them feel safe.
Resources
Resources and information to support adults in learning more and starting these critical conversations are available in English and 23 other languages at: www.childsafety.gov.au/.
This includes a factsheet and conversation toolkits in Filipino which support adults to have conversations with preschool aged children, primary school aged children, and teenagers. These can be viewed at: https://www.childsafety.gov.au/one-talk-time/translated-information/filipino.
Additional Support
Reading about child sexual abuse can bring up strong feelings. Support is available. For 24/7 assistance, you can call:
- Lifeline on 13 11 14
- 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)
The Blue Knot Foundation supports anyone affected by complex trauma and is available Monday-Sunday, 9am-5pm AEDT.
TIS: Non-English speakers can access these services through the Translating and Interpreting Services (TIS) by calling 131 450. TIS is available 24/7.
The Australian Government through the National Office for Child Safety is deeply committed to preventing and responding to child sexual abuse in all settings and supporting victims and survivors. The One Talk at a Time campaign is a key measure under the Australian Government’s National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030, fulfilling a recommendation of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. For more information visit https://www.childsafety.gov.au/having-conversations/one-talk-time
