Motivated, inspired, child focused and alcohol free.
August 20, 2008
Uneaten by crocodiles and any other predators, I am safety returned from Pormpuraaw. It was fantastic. Fifteen women in the first workshop and twenty five big burly blokes in the second workshop.
A child protection update tomorrow, but for now, a few pics:
Pormpuraaw Community Justice Centre where we held the child sexual assault prevention workshops
My utmost thanks to Sandra for organising, inviting and welcoming me to her country and her people. Sandra is standing beside one of the many painted poles, painted by her nephew, a celebrated Aboriginal Artists.
Sandman………………? I slept like a baby because the sandman was made in Pormpuraaw (or was Pormpuraaw made by the sand man?). The streets were long and white and made of crushed shell and sand. Fantastic.
Gardening?????????? Here’s the top soil from the front garden…I kid you not, everything is filled with small shells. The roads are crushed, the top soil is not.
Aboriginality/culture supports child safety. I facilitated two workshops on how to protect children from sexual assault. One for the women,
and one for the men (twenty five men! The roll up and motivation of the men blew me away!)
Pormpuraaw operates under an alcohol management plan.
There is a tavern that is opened for a very short after work period on work days. Only light beer is served. Given that I drink only champagne, it was a dry break away for me. With all the sand in my throat, I’m about to go and pour myself a glass of sparkling. Cheers 
Crocodiles are predators too. Would you invite a croc for tea?
August 19, 2008
I am off to Pormpuraww today. Pormpuraww is a community of 700 Australian Aboriginal people and was formerly known as Edward River. Edward River; just the name scares me because I know Edward River as CROCODILE country. Have I ever mentioned that I am terrified of crocodiles? I have good reason to be. I have seen those predators eye to eye, close up, in their natural habitat with me and my children as potential snacks. I have seen crocodile predators and I have seen human predators - waiting to get our kids.
While many people fear sex predators, I fear the scaly, water living, prehistoric predators aka crocodiles. A water based childhood in Papua New Guinea and an early adulthood on the Endeavour River in Cooktown taught me a healthy respect for crocodiles. They are big, silent and they watch - they wait - they get you when you least expect it! Knowing them, their habits, their environment is a must for safety and precaution - sounds like protective behaviours in progress to me!
A bit like sex predators really - the crocodiles watch, wait, groom and when they get our kids they rip our hearts to pieces. STOP! For every person who has thought twice about entering the water, be it a fear of sharks, jelly fish, crocodiles or boogie men, your risk management and shyness around that which you cannot see needs to transcend into being wary of sex predators too.
Sex predators are everywhere. They cross the bounds of class, race, religion and gender. They hunger for our kids and they smell our trust, our love and our vulnerability. Approximately eight five percent of child sexual assault is perpetrated by someone known to the child - someone we let in.
When I accepted the job in Pormpuraww, I momentarily forgot that it was Edward River renamed (Edward River is reknown for its crocodile farm). By the time the penny dropped, I welcomed the opportunity to face my fears and enter a community to talk about predators - not crocs as abound in Pormpuraww but the sexual predators that pray on our kids.
Just as communities can control the lustful lurking of crocodiles by farming them and selling their goods to fund important community functions, so too can we control the lustful lurking of sex predators. Once we educate ourselves and dob, dob, dob on suspicious and inappropriate behaviour, we farm and cultivate a new culture: a culture of zero tolerance for sexual violence and child abuse. A culture that does not invite danger and predatory behaviour into our homes for tea.
Take your fear and coyness of certain animals and examine what it is that makes you wary. Is it based in not knowing what the animal might do? Do you risk manage around that animal and step gingerly, carefully and remove yourself as quickly and calmly as you can? Do so with child sex predators too. Be wary, be alert and use your voice to command the sex predator to leave your children alone. Telling on sex predators is the thing they hate most.
You wouldn’t invite a crocodile for tea would you? Don’t invite sex predators into your home either. Know who it is you are talking to and tell someone immediately if suspicious, grooming behaviour leaves you wondering.
See you when I’m back from outback and traditional Aboriginal Australia.
Teach your child about predators
Water Safety
Counselling to cease at Imaginif
August 18, 2008
It is with great regret that we announce the cessation of counselling, child and adult, at Imaginif’s 30 James St new premises, as of October 31st, 2008. Remember the personal crisis in July that had me off air for three weeks? That personal crisis has now moved into a business model restructure and change in service provision at Imaginif.
The purchase of our James Street premises was going to be a commercial investment, with a 20% stake held by a third party, so as to provide sufficient capital resources to settle the property, have the premises rezoned to business facilities and undertake all of the required structural and parking renovations to achieve this, including telephone systems, air conditioning units and other ancillary works.
Five working days before settlement, our partner pulled out of the deal, the consequence of which is that we had to raise substantial short term borrowings for the purpose of settling on the property. These funds were raised through the wonderful support of family and friends as there was no time to renegotiate loan contracts and financing arrangements.
We now need to settle these debts and in the short to medium term, are in no position to fund the growth of services we had hoped to provide through Imaginif. Accordingly, we are unable to provide James Street premises suitable for these purposes and we are down scaling to what I operated prior to joining with talk doctors Rebekah and Fran.
I will retain the front office and still do supervision, consultancy and case management outreach to Innisfail and Atherton. I will also do training tours and outreach to Cape York Peninsula and hire external premises for training in Cairns. I will offer the services I did prior to expanding the practice to counselling provision for children and adults.
Rebekah Allen is now out looking for a job as she has decided not to do private practice alone (I can thoroughly recommend Rebekah to anyone who wants a dedicated and fantastic worker and therapist). Having to shift Rebekah’s child counselling skill base from Imaginif is one of the hardest things I have had to endure. This has made my heart heavy and my head hang low. I hope that Rebekah changes her mind and stays in private practice so that the families of Cairns retain Rebekah as a counselling option. I have nothing but glowing reports about Rebekah’s abilities as a child therapist.
Fran Burke is searching for another office and intends to continue doing counselling and massage. Of course I will continue to work in conjunction with Fran and refer adults for counselling and massage requests to her. I have worked with Fran for years and I just adore her. Her counselling and commitment to women affected by sexual violence is worthy of an AM (Order of Australia).
The embarrassment and shame of business downscaling is toxic for me. I am devastated, flat and bewildered. We found and purchased the perfect property to run the extended Imaginif practice from. The circumstances described above have prevented us from doing this, at least for the moment.
All bookings up until October 31st will remain the same. After that, there will be no counselling available at Imaginif. Megan Bayliss will still be available for supervision and consultation so please do ring for brain storming, recommendation and external referral information.
Dick or penis, sex or bunks? Protective words work.
August 14, 2008
Have you ever wondered if correct terminology for private parts is remembered by children and is a useful protection tool?
Well, Grandmas like me don’t know everything..apparently….
Little Tony was 9 years old and was staying with his grandmother for a few days.
He’d been playing outside with the other kids for a while when he came into the house and asked her,
‘Grandma, what’s that called when two people sleep in the same room and one is on top of the other?’
She was a little taken aback, but she decided to tell him the truth.
‘It’s called sexual intercourse, darling.’
Little Tony said, ‘Oh, OK,’ and went back outside to play with the other kids.
A few minutes later he came back in and said angrily,
‘Grandma, it isn’t called sexual intercourse, it’s called bunk beds.
And Jimmy’s mum wants to talk to you.’
Unknown copyright - arrived via email.
Paul received an email the other day of a big fat bald man sitting in a pool. The highly suggestive picture was entitled, There’s a dickhead in the pool. From photography angel, the shot did look like the end of a penis poking up through the water.
Boy was looking over Paul’s shoulder, saw the graphic and read the words.
“That’s not a dick,” he said. “It’s a penis!”
Touche! Out of the mouth of babes.
Advertising child protection with Entrecard
August 13, 2008
Calling those EntreCard bloggers who blog for child protection and those survivors who blog for healing and helping. I want to advertise on your site.
Laketrees, Aussie artist divine, recently turned 21 and ran a comment draw for 5000 entrecard comments. I won. As an extension of Laketree’s birthday generosity and of my commitment to social change blogging, I want to use those credits on sites that blog for child abuse difference.
If you are either a survivor of child abuse or you blog in the area of child protection, leave me a comment so that I can entrecard advertise with you. I have already linked to and advertise with many of you but I know I am missing some. Help me out by putting yourself under my nose.
I have already used some of Kim’s birthday credits to advertise on two socially ethical blogs that I love but can never afford: Magic and moments at Dragon Fly Cottage, and the main Dragon Fly Cottage. Thank you for being such an inspiring read Maitri. I increase my mindfulness and faith in humanity by consuming your blog posts.
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