Reprisals by Tasmanian institutions is one of the main reasons given for not reporting child sexual abuse!

At one of the public consultations of the Commission Of Inquiry, a Commissioner posed the question as to what was different about Tasmania that would see a known paedophile allowed to work on a Children’s Ward for almost two decades with impunity?

This was indeed a confronting question, but it went to straight to the heart of the matter. What is it about us a community that tolerates the sexual predation of children in the care of Government agencies?  The COI went on to find widescale CSA in schools, sporting codes, theatre companies, churches, detention centres.  While some of this fell outside of the scope of the COI, it did suggest a culture permissive of CSA across Tasmania more generally.

After years of advocacy seeking support for initiatives to prevent CSA, I am concluding that the single most important factor in silencing those who might speak-up in defence of children is the culture of fear which prevails. Informants recount examples of reprisals by institutional managers when individuals ‘break ranks’ in the interests of children in their care.

Child sexual abuse, when tolerated, is the very worst manifestation of a toxic and corrupt organisational culture. Those calling out CSA risk revealing all manner of other corruption and misconduct, and this precipitates a defensive response by institutional leaders.  Reprisals by institutional managers happens, and I have experienced it myself!

Conversation starters?

1. Would you feel able to speak-up if you observed inappropriate behaviour by a workplace colleague involving children?
2. How might we work together to break down a culture of fear in our institutions?