The news a former childcare worker has been charged with more than 1,600 child abuse offences has sent shivers through the Australian community.
Each state and territory requires people who work with children to have a working with children clearance.
This is a start. But it does not mean all employees with a clearance are trustworthy. Unfortunately, many offenders remain undetected, let alone prosecuted.
The man charged with 1,623 child abuse offences in multiple jurisdictions, including Queensland, had passed the state’s “blue card” check, clearing him to work with children.
Research on child sexual abuse is full of accounts of disbelief a person could engage in that behaviour.
Child sex abusers also engage in a range of grooming techniques. While community awareness of child grooming techniques is increasing, there is less awareness that offenders often groom parents and colleagues. They do this by ingratiating themselves through acts of kindness and friendship.
[ed: one way to safeguard children is to ensure they are not left unsupervised in the care of males. Males as a group are overwhelmingly responsible for violent and sexual crime. Our sex discrimination laws were introduced with a view to protecting women but are now being weaponised against them by men and are leaving their children exposed to harm. This legislation does allow for conditions and restrictions on men where it is reasonable in the circumstances and where special measures are appropriate. While rates of male violence and sexual offending continues unabated and the factors that play a role (such as access to violent pornography) are unaddressed, the community must demand that service providers consider their options.]