“Together, let’s fight the crime of child sexual abuse and protect Aussie kids!”
Bravehearts is a child protection organisation whose mission is to provide a ‘holistic approach to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse’. Their vision is ‘a world where people, communities, and systems all work together to protect children from sexual abuse’. In the wake of alarming new reports that revealed that 1 in 4 Australians have experienced child sexual abuse, Bravehearts are calling on the community to ‘show your heart’ and assist them to fundraise and raise awareness for the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse. They have facilitated this by launching an annual campaign called Bravehearts Day, occurring on Wednesday 30th August 2023. The campaign leads into National Child Protection Week (September 5th-11th)
Bravehearts CEO Alison Geale said, ‘We seek to empower individuals and communities with the knowledge, resources, and support they need to protect children and break the cycle.”
You may already be familiar with some of their personal safety education programs, such as Ditto’s Keep Safe Adventure Programs. These programs aim to educate children in their early years through live shows that are aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. They also offer support to young people and their families with counselling services, and adult survivors through the National Redress Scheme (support for survivors of institutional child sexual abuse) and Beyond Brave (Bravehearts National Redress Scheme provider).
Braveheart Day is an opportunity for you to help prevent these crimes by raising funds and awareness. You can do this by registering your involvement through the website and seeking donations. Here are just a few suggestions to gain donations:
- Host a morning tea.
- Share your fundraising page on Social Media.
- Ask friends, family, and work colleagues to donate.
- Wear a purple heart on the day.
- Take a #ShowYourHeart selfie and post it on your socials to help raise awareness.
More information, registration portals, and various fantastic resources can be found on the Bravehearts Day website.