News
Book confirms abysmal failures in protecting Aboriginal children
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| Our Greatest Challenge by human rights lawyer Dr Hannah McGlade considers the emotional and social costs, the changing legal status and points to directions that might change the conditions that lead to child sexual abuse. |
26 June 2012
A book confirming the abysmal failures of our legal and child protection systems to protect Aboriginal children from rape and sexual abuse will be launched in Canberra this morning.
The book - Our Greatest Challenge, by human rights lawyer Dr Hannah McGlade - considers the emotional and social costs, the changing legal status and points to directions that might change the conditions that lead to child sexual abuse.
Dr Norman Gillespie, Chief Executive of UNICEF Australia will launch at book at AIATSIS (the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies) on Acton Peninsula.
In Our Greatest Challenge, Dr McGlade maintains that it is inadequate and abusive for children to use the law as the primary response to child sexual assault, with victims left traumatised and further harmed by the legal process and discrimination in the court system.
She notes that although child sexual assault is understood within the human rights framework as a serious violation of the rights of the child, Aboriginal child sexual assault is little understood, with many people left confused.
Dr McGlade - a member of Perth’s Ngoonar community - argues such abuse has been formed within the entrenched forces of racism, colonisation and patriarchy, yet it is called an Aboriginal ‘problem’.
In Our Greatest Challenge, McGlade reveals her own abuse along with others to put a personal face to this horrendous story. She believes that we should be guided by Indigenous human rights concepts and international Indigenous responses in addressing the problem. In doing so she believes that we can help to stem the harm to future generations.