The humble white balloon has become a symbol of hope for survivors and those whose lives have been impacted by the crime of child sexual assault through Bravehearts’ annual White Balloon Day campaign. The now iconic white balloon was adopted by Bravehearts following a public demonstration in Belgium in 1996. Over 300,000 people turned out in a public demonstration of solidarity with the parents and children whose lives had been affected by a convicted paedophile. Bravehearts continued this tradition and has done so every year to provide hope to survivors and to help break the silence that surrounds this terrible…

“I cannot be more proud of Bravehearts and its incredible array of supporters, all coming together to take on Australia’s biggest child protection challenge,” said Bravehearts Founder Hetty Johnston AM, as registrations pour in for the 20th annual White Balloon Day on September 9. Communities from right across Australia are today signing up for the challenge, working together to help Bravehearts prevent a crime which affects more than 60,000 children every year. The milestone awareness and fundraising campaign invites schools, organisations and everyday people to join Australia’s Biggest Child Protection Challenge at whiteballoonday.com.au.  Participants who #takethechallenge will help to protect Aussie kids by hosting a White…

Australia is grappling with an escalating child protection crisis, with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) at the forefront of efforts to combat child exploitation and abuse. The digital age has amplified the threats children face, making the AFP's role more critical than ever. A Surge in Online Child Exploitation The AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) reported a significant increase in online child sexual exploitation cases. In the 2022-23 financial year alone, the ACCCE's Child Protection Triage Unit received over 40,000 reports, marking a substantial rise from the previous year. This surge underscores the growing prevalence of online…