Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Child sexual abuse

Paul MERCURIO (Hastings) (13:22): Recently a report written by the Australian Childhood Foundation called Hear Us Now, Act Now was released. It spoke about the lived experience of childhood sexual abuse, with over 300 people contributing and telling their stories. I would urge all MPs in this place – in fact I would urge everyone – to read this report.

In this job over the last year many people have come to me to talk about their own childhood sexual abuse. As the report states, it is way too prevalent. In hearing their stories I have come to understand that there is no such place as a safe space. If a paedophile wants to groom and abuse a child, they will. My wife Andrea was sexually abused in her home from the age of six until the age of 12 by her father Richard Toy, and when this was revealed and discovered Andrea’s mother Marilyn stood by him. For years we kept this secret, not wanting to hurt the family, and in some strange way we felt we needed to protect her parents. But every day my wife lives with the pain, anxiety, hurt and memories of her abuse and the knowledge that she was not the only child her father sexually abused.

A paedophile’s only weapons are secrecy and silence, and when they are removed the abused is empowered to move from victim to survivor and true healing can begin. The weapons we have to protect our children are the exact opposite of secrecy and silence. Please use them. With my wife’s permission and on her behalf I lift this secret from her shoulders today.