National Helpline Launched for People at Risk of Child Sexual Offending

A national helpline aimed at preventing child sexual abuse by targeting individuals at risk of offending has been launched, nearly a decade after it was recommended by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The service, Stop It Now!, is designed to intervene before harm occurs by offering therapy and support to potential and former offenders. It includes a free, anonymous phone helpline, an online platform and self-guided resources.

The program is run by Jesuit Social Services, which has been trialling the approach since 2022. With new federal funding, the service will now be expanded and made permanent.

Stop It Now! General Manager Georgia Naldrett said working with people offending or at risk of offending is key to early intervention.

“Child sexual abuse is one of the most significant issues facing Australia, with one in three girls and one in five boys having been the victims of child sexual abuse. The prevalence of online offending has only intensified this issue and the need for evidence-based approaches to prevention,” she said.

“Our experience delivering the pilot program since 2022, supported by independent evaluation, shows that this approach helps callers take meaningful action to reduce harm and keep children safe.”

Naldrett noted the service received more than 750 calls and live chats during its three-year trial, despite limited operating hours, and said she hoped it would now help more people following the program’s expansion.

The funding decision comes nine years after the royal commission first recommended such a service.

The renewed focus on prevention follows a series of high-profile cases, including the prosecution of former childcare worker Joshua Dale Brown, who faces more than 80 charges linked to alleged offences against young children in Melbourne.

The case prompted health screenings for around 2,000 children and led to a fresh wave of reforms, including proposals for mandatory CCTV coverage in childcare centres, a national worker register and strengthened child safety training requirements.