Jesuit Social Services has received funding from the Australian Government to establish and deliver an expanded child sexual abuse prevention service which includes a free and anonymous helpline, website and online self-help resources for adults who are concerned about their own or someone else’s sexual thoughts, feelings or behaviour towards children. The service will work to keep children safe at a time when child sexual abuse is one of the most pressing issues facing Australia.
The service, to be launched in early 2026 and funded as part of the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse, will build on learnings from Jesuit Social Services’ related pilot program Stop It Now! Australia. With work exploring the feasibility of Stop it Now! Australia in Australia beginning in late 2017, since commencing operations in September 2022 Jesuit Social services has received more than 500 calls and live chats and had more than 35,000 people access its website. With an increase in staffing and operating hours, the new service means for the first time Australia will have a federally funded national child sexual abuse offending prevention service.
Julie Edwards, CEO Jesuit Social Services said “This is a critical development in Jesuit Social Services’ work to protect children, prevent abuse and provide help. It’s based on successful work that’s been happening overseas for decades, on which we built and ran a similar, effective pilot service called Stop It Now! Australia”.
Matt Tyler, Executive Director of the Men’s Project at Jesuit Social Services noted “As part of this effort, we’ve been grateful to collaborate with victim-survivor advocates, law enforcement, academics and technology companies. Now with this funding we can grow that work and better prevent offending from happening”.
This service will advise people on how to manage sexual thoughts and feelings and stop harmful or offending behaviour, or what to do and where to go if concerned about someone else’s behaviour towards children. The service will be delivered in line with the national practice standards published by the National Office for Child Safety regarding working in the field of child sexual abuse.
“Child sexual abuse is an extensive issue here in Australia, with one in three girls and one in five boys victims of child sexual abuse. Online offending has only intensified this issue and need for evidence- based approaches to prevention,” says Mr Tyler.
“This program recognises the importance of working with the person offending or at risk of offending. Based on our own independent evaluation as well as findings from an evaluation in the UK, we know that the service is having its intended effect with taking preventative actions and implementing changes aimed at reducing risk factors and increasing protective factors to prevent child sexual abuse. We know that by working with individuals concerned about their own thoughts and behaviours we can intervene earlier to prevent harm to children.”
Georgia Naldrett, Manager of Stop it Now! Australia, says “if someone concerned about their thoughts or behaviours calls the service, typically our helpline practitioners will speak with the caller to understand the nature of their concerns, identify potential risks, then provide relevant information or advice to help them implement positive changes. They will also explore potential referrals out to other services, and encourage further calls to explore progress, and provide additional guidance and advice to prevent child sexual abuse.”
“These are confronting issues, but this program is an important piece in the puzzle of how to prevent child sexual abuse, and we will work closely alongside other services working with those who offend, non-offending family members and victim-survivors, as well as law enforcement, technology companies, and child protection.”
Media enquiries – Kathryn Kernohan, 0409 901 248 or kathryn.kernohan@jss.org.au
