Child Abuse Survivors' Group Responds to Paedophile Story

By Cathy Kezelman
News.com.au
September 20, 2013

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/child-abuse-survivors8217-group-responds-to-paedophile-story/story-fni0xqrb-1226723692226

Dr Cathy Kezelman said the way the issue of child abuse is discussed publicly is critical.

AN article, published by news.com.au, about how to recognise a child sex offender sparked controversy.

Dr Cathy Kezelman, president of Adults Surviving Child Abuse, has written the following response, which news.com.au publish in full:

"With the commencement of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse the issue of childhood abuse is being reported, spoken about and thought about far more often than ever before.

Though it is groundbreaking for the Australian society to be more aware of the issue and to have increased conversation about it, it is now more critical than ever before to have accurate reporting from the media about child sexual abuse.

Quite frankly, I was shocked at news.com.au's piece 'Could you spot a paedophile?'

The very title evokes fear, as do the images, and it lacked tact and sensitivity.

Although the longstanding stigma and taboo is being eroded - and that is to be welcomed - the challenge for those reporting or speaking about child abuse in the public arena is how to increase community awareness while minimising the risks of re-traumatisation for those affected and secondary traumatisation for members of the community.

During the life of the Royal Commission, such exposure will permeate Australian society.

It will be particularly challenging for survivors, their families and friends, yet also potentially impact us all, with greater risks for those with maximal exposure to the disclosed traumatic material - including those involved with the Commission, journalists and community members with their own histories of unresolved trauma.

Child sexual abuse evokes very strong emotions in those bearing witness.

It's normal to feel shocked and disgusted, horrified and angry, devastated and numb.

It is important therefore to keep to the facts and educate rather than use information and images which invoke fear, in what is already an emotionally-charged issue.

It is important to tackle myths such as that around the relationship between the abused and abusers - the majority of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse do not go on to become perpetrators (as we can see in: 'Trends and issues in crime and criminal justice no. 440').

As a society we need to work together to address the scourge of child abuse; we need to be alert to situations in which children are at risk of harm or being harmed and report them to the appropriate authorities.

The way this issue of child abuse is discussed publicly is critical to the shifts needed for our children to be safer, victims and survivors of all ages to be heard and find the support they need, with justice to prevail."