Body Safety Australia’s Superstars program today received a bronze award in the community-led category of the 2021 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA).
The ACVPA recognise best practice in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crime in Australia and play a vital role in highlighting effective community-based initiatives to prevent crime and violence.
Launched in 2015, Body Safety Superstars is a program that empowers and educates children and young people, their families, and professionals on protective behaviours and body safety education. The program lets children learn over 2 sessions in conjunction with a parent workshop and professional development for educators, teachers and directors.
Body Safety Australia’s CEO, Deanne Carson, said the Superstars program works by using age-appropriate song, storytelling, activities and role play.
The program is designed to help everyone feel safer and more confident in responding to neglect or abuse.
Body Safety Superstars helps prevent child abuse by giving children and adults the skills to recognize and respond to inappropriate behaviour. It gives children the confidence and knowledge to ask for help if they need it, and supports adults to take effective action that protects children from further abuse,” said Ms Carson.
“Preventing childhood sexual abuse is the responsibility of all adults. Winning the ACVPA award helps in raising awareness of the harms done to children and lets them know that there are simple prevention strategies that they can do to protect and empower their children,” she said.
These annual awards recognise the outstanding contributions being made across Australia for crime prevention, including the development and implementation of practical projects to reduce violence and other types of crime in the community.
Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC) Director, Michael Phelan APM, said that this program for early learning and primary school children educates against a significant community issue and crime concern of child sexual abuse.
“The program demonstrated considerable success in improving participant understanding of body safety issues and teachers and parents displayed an increased awareness and confidence in their ability to assist children to stay safe. There is no doubt this will most likely lead to a long-term reduction in child sexual offences,” said Mr Phelan.
All projects are assessed each year by the ACVPA Board, which is chaired by the AIC Director and consists of senior law enforcement representatives from each state and territory police service.
The awards are a joint Australian Government, state and territory initiative administered by the AIC.
For more information about the award winners, visit www.aic.gov.au/acvpa
To watch the ceremony please visit our YouTube channel, CriminologyTV.
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