White Balloon Day break the silence on child sexual assault

Tuesday September 9th is White Balloon Day

Bravehearts, Australias largest child protection advocacy group, and the Nine Network are proud to announce a partnership to encourage all Australians to support White Balloon Day by buying special white balloons for September 9.

Now in its eleventh year, White Balloon day is the signature calendar event for Bravehearts and the most popular event in National Child Protection Week (7th to 13th September). White Balloon Days overarching message is to Break the Silence on Child Sexual Assault by raising awareness and by show of balloons, demonstrating community desire for Australian children to be safe.

With the help of supporters such as The Nine Network, White Balloon Day is to be celebrated nationally throughout Australia and aided by a national multi-media campaign.

The Nine Network partnership involves a national community service announcement (CSA) featuring Lisa Wilkinson (Today show) and two Queensland based CSAs featuring Heather Foord (Today Show, QLD) aired throughout the month long period leading up to White Balloon Day.

Bravehearts founder and executive director Hetty Johnston says, "We all have a responsibility to do our utmost to protect children and I am thrilled to have comprehensive support from the Nine Network to help spread such an important message to all Australians. Breaking the silence on child sexual assault is the key to breaking the cycle of abuse and to give children a better chance at living a safe and happy life. I encourage all Australians to help us by purchasing Bravehearts white balloons."

Official White Balloons packs containing 3 White Balloon Day balloons and series of temporary tattoos for the kids, cost five dollars and can be purchased at Blockbuster Stores, Coffee Club Stores and from Nutrimetics consultants nationally. Full details can be found at the White Balloon Day website http://www.whiteballoonday.com.au

Long time supporter of Bravehearts, Claude Harvey, from the Gold Coast, is also doing his bit to raise much needed funding for Bravehearts White Balloon Day. Sixty three year old Claude Harvey, affectionately nicknamed The Lawnmower Man, is embarking on a momentous journey mowing his trusty lawnmower through every township on the 850km journey from the Gold Coast to Sydney - visiting schools and community clubs to raise awareness and funds for Bravehearts. Mr Harvey left the Gold Coast August 9 and arrives in Sydney on Bravehearts White Balloon Day, Tuesday the 9th September. Mr Harvey has raised over $350,000 in the past for Bravehearts and over this month long Mowerthon aims to raise one million dollars.

Child sexual assault is one of the most horrifying and insidious crimes in Australian society. One in five children will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18 which equates to 50,000 Australian children every year. Most will never tell anyone. Speaking out about this insidious crime will help stop offenders destroying the lives of more innocent children. Bravehearts believes that education and awareness can lead to prevention.

Throughout the Mowerthon local councils, service groups, businesses, pre-schools, day care centres and schools around the country will be coming out to show support and donate to White Balloon Day in an effort to break the silence.

Major White Balloon Day Events

· Month long Mowerthon

- 63 year old Bravehearts supporter Claude Harvey pushes his lawnmower through towns and cities from the Gold Coast to Sydney. Travelling with the Ditto character, Claude will visit schools, local businesses and talk to the community. Departing the Gold Coast August 9th, Mr Harvey arrives in Sydney on the 9th September 2008 (White Balloon Day). Full details of his itinerary can be found here - come along and support Claude on this extraordinary journey.

· White Balloon Day Lunch

- Royal on the Park Hotel, QLD - Hosted by Heather Foord taking place Tuesday 9th September 2008. For all details or to get involved click here.

· Charity Golf Day

Hosted by the NRL Referees who have selected Bravehearts as their dedicated charity, this charity golf day is held at Riverside Oaks Golf Resort, NSW on Wednesday 27th August. For full details or to get involved click here.

· Highway Thunder - Sunday 14th September

- over 500 vehicles travel in convoy down the M1 from Yatala to the Gold Coast with white balloons in support of White Balloon Day.

For further information or to find an event near you, please visit:

www.whiteballoonday.com.au

www.bravehearts.org.au

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About Bravehearts:
Bravehearts is Australias leading child protection advocacy group. Founded in 1997 by Mrs Hetty Johnston and based in Queensland, with the inaugural White Balloon Day, Bravehearts Inc. has evolved into an organisation whose purpose is to provide therapeutic support and advocacy services to survivors of child sexual assault. Bravehearts makes a difference in child protection and is forging a movement for change in how child sexual assault is dealt with by the criminal justice sector, government institutions, churches and the community at large.

Bravehearts currently provide counselling services to hundreds of children a year (with a long waiting list due to limited funds) at a cost of nearly half a million dollars per annum. As well as supporting survivors of child sexual assault, Bravehearts is unique in that they also focus on prevention and early intervention, as well as healing and activism.

If you have any questions about child sexual abuse, or to contact Bravehearts, call their toll free number: 1800 114 474 or www.bravehearts.org.au

Statistics vary, but suggest that 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 7 boys will be sexually abused by the age of 16. True figures are undoubtedly higher, as sexual abuse is a predominantly a silent crime.

In Australia, one child is substantiated to be abused every 11 minutes; (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2005)
In Australia, most paedophiles (more than 90%) escape the notice of the authorities;Of those that are actually convicted, only a proportion are treated and managed in a way that is likely to reduce the incidence of their re-offending. (Queensland Crime Commission and Queensland Police Service, 2000).

A Macquarie University study amongst Sydneys homeless children revealed very high levels of physical and sexual abuse, particularly for young females. Of the girls interviewed, 82% had been sexually abused; Between 2003 and 2004, more than 185 000 child abuse cases in New South Wales were reported by police, health and educational departments to the Department of Community Services.