Mums’ marathon mission against child sexual abuse
Related Story: Government accepts 104 royal commission recommendations, including confession rule Related Story: Puffing Billy child sex abuse survivors to get apology for 'monumental failure'
Two Victorian mums have their sights set on raising awareness about protecting children against sexual abuse by embarking on what some may consider an insurmountable feat; to run 12 marathons in 12 months.
This year Kathy Fuller and Narelle Pell, both from Shepparton in northern Victoria, are aiming to raise $100,000 for the Goulburn Valley Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA).
The women began running for a cause in 2016 when they conquered the Bravehearts' 777 Challenge — seven marathons, in seven states, in seven days — raising over $54,000 for the child protection organisation that is a cause close to both their hearts.
"Through our running we've ended up in this passion to stop sexual assault against children," Ms Fuller said.
"Both of us personally have people in our lives that we know have been affected by [child sexual abuse]. We know that for those affected, it's a lifelong struggle."
"I think our motto of #Voice4Kidz is what drives us. It's why we get out and run," Ms Pell said.
We are a voice for kids, we want the community to be a voice for kids and we want kids to know how to have their own voice."
Starting a national conversation
Ms Fuller and Ms Pell are halfway through their 12 marathon mission, having completed marathons in Hobart, Wangaratta, Albury, Bendigo, Heathcote, Adelaide and Traralgon.
Over the next six months, the women will travel to the Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne and compete in two marathons in Shepparton.
They will also be travelling to Queenstown, New Zealand to take part in one marathon before finishing their venture in December.
They are hoping to start a national conversation about child sexual abuse.
They invite other states to support the Goulburn Valley and encourage alternative child protection organisations to adopt similar fundraising tactics.
"I think you've got to start in your own town first and then if that's a model that works then hopefully other CASAs will pick-up what we're doing," Ms Fuller said.
"That happened in one of the runs we did recently down in Traralgon.
"We had a conversation and it turned out the lady was a counsellor and she was from a CASA down there and was really inspired with what we were doing … so all of a sudden I think that will happen."
Child sexual abuse in Australia
Nationwide, about one third of clients that CASAs cater to are children.
About one in three girls and one in six boys have experienced sexual abuse since the age of 15, and 80 per cent of perpetrators are known to the victim.
Victorian CASA forum spokesperson, Carolyn Worth, said she wants to see education programs rolled-out at all levels for children.
"We need to make sure every school has a personal safety program in primary school and everyone is running respective relationships in secondary schools.
"Then universities should pick it up and workplaces should pick it up," Ms Worth said.
"It's important you have global coverage, so everyone knows the stats, everybody knows that things of this nature are just not acceptable.
Ms Worth said the positive impact of hearing others tell their stories had been seen after the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which led to an increase in victims contacting CASA.
As a result CASA is now seeking more government funding.
"We need some more funding to cover waitlists … we've all got immense amounts of people waiting for a service that we used to run with fairly reasonable wait times of two to four weeks," she said.
"Now we're often sitting at around three to four months and that can be a disincentive for people," Ms Worth said.
She said fundraising efforts like what Ms Fuller and Ms Pell are doing helps to bring the issue of child abuse into community conversations.
"They're sort of dressing it up in something they want to support and they're raising the profile of the issue as well," she said.
Ms Fuller and Ms Pell will provide regular updates on their Facebook page, which promotes the idea of creating a better and safer future for the next generation.
[contf]
[contfnew]
ABC .net
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
