Can an institution eliminate the risk of child sexual abuse? 

Those of us old enough will recall a time when workplace injuries and deaths were viewed as inevitable. Thanks to the work of unions however deaths and serious injuries are seen as sentinel events.

Borrowing from an industrial safety maxim the ‘Fire Triangle’, there are three conditions that need to be met for child sexual abuse to ‘ignite’ and take hold become in an institution:

1. Persistent attention by paedophiles   (HEAT)
2. A passive workforce fearful of reporting CSA  (FUEL)
3. A management culture that enables CSA (OXYGEN)

Those institutions serious about developing a culture that makes it practically impossible for CSA to take hold need to address all three in a mutually reinforcing way.

The culture of fear pervading Tasmanian institutions appears to be an aspect particularly problematic in our small island State. I have personally observed institutional retaliation and reprisals by Government agencies when individuals ‘break ranks’ for ethical reasons.

 Conversation starters?

1. Do you think child sexual abuse can be made ‘practically impossible’ in a school or a hospital, for example?
2. Would you feel able to speak up about child sexual abuse at your workplace?