Well, you will recognize Madeline West from her incredible career as an award winning actress. After all, she did it appear in Australia's longest running soap, Neighbors for close to five hundred and fifty episodes. But it's her work away from the small and silver screen that's become the most powerful.

Well, you will recognize Madeline West from her incredible career as an award winning actress. After all, she did it appear in Australia's longest running soap, Neighbors for close to five hundred and fifty episodes. But it's her work away from the small and silver screen that's become the most powerful.

Yeah, Madeline's been a vocal advocate for the safety of children online and now the mum of seven has stepped into an ambassador role for Project Paradigm, becoming the face of their new campaign.

Yeah, Madeline's been a vocal advocate for the safety of children online and now the mum of seven has stepped into an ambassador role for Project Paradigm, becoming the face of their new campaign.

Behaving as a child Done is somehow putting themselves at ross as society deals with the issue of child sexual exploitation in a vacuum, shrouded in a conspiracy of silence, we pretend it doesn't happen. We sweep it under the rug. We know traditionally, the stats show us that one in three girls one in five boys will be exposed to unwarranted, unconsensual sexual contact with an adult whilst under the age of eighteen. A child can never consent.

Behaving as a child Done is somehow putting themselves at ross as society deals with the issue of child sexual exploitation in a vacuum, shrouded in a conspiracy of silence, we pretend it doesn't happen. We sweep it under the rug. We know traditionally, the stats show us that one in three girls one in five boys will be exposed to unwarranted, unconsensual sexual contact with an adult whilst under the age of eighteen. A child can never consent.

We hear, and we welcome Madeline West, who is live with us from Brisbane this morning. Welcome back to you, Madeleine. Project Paradigm is launching a new resource today. It's just so important this work. It's in partnership with the Australian Federal Police. Can you take us through the campaign?

We hear, and we welcome Madeline West, who is live with us from Brisbane this morning. Welcome back to you, Madeleine. Project Paradigm is launching a new resource today. It's just so important this work. It's in partnership with the Australian Federal Police. Can you take us through the campaign?

First off, thank you so much for having me on. Yes, It's never too early. Really is the ultimate toolkit for parents, for carers, especially those of really little kids, to help them to keep their kids safe. We know aus a society that we should do everything we can to protect children, but the reality is that over half of parents don't think that child sexual abuse happens in their town. It does. It happens here, it happens everywhere, and thirty eight percent of reported sexual assaults are against children between the ages of birth and fourteen years old. And this resource empowers parents. It helps them to identify the risks, to ask the really big questions and if they need help, where to get it from.

First off, thank you so much for having me on. Yes, It's never too early. Really is the ultimate toolkit for parents, for carers, especially those of really little kids, to help them to keep their kids safe. We know aus a society that we should do everything we can to protect children, but the reality is that over half of parents don't think that child sexual abuse happens in their town. It does. It happens here, it happens everywhere, and thirty eight percent of reported sexual assaults are against children between the ages of birth and fourteen years old. And this resource empowers parents. It helps them to identify the risks, to ask the really big questions and if they need help, where to get it from.

Yeah, we know this is so so important to you that has personally impacted you. Let's have a look at this.

Yeah, we know this is so so important to you that has personally impacted you. Let's have a look at this.

Someone like me who for forty years has carried around across a blame and shame and had their life cataclysmically destroyed by an offense that happened to me when I was an innocent child to which I could never consent. I was never to blame.

Someone like me who for forty years has carried around across a blame and shame and had their life cataclysmically destroyed by an offense that happened to me when I was an innocent child to which I could never consent. I was never to blame.

This trauma is obviously a huge driving force for change, but how difficult has it been fit to share that with all of us.

This trauma is obviously a huge driving force for change, but how difficult has it been fit to share that with all of us.

It's really hard, Larry, and I don't think we'll ever get any easier. But I think that in itself defines the problem that we face. That we shroud abuse in secrecy, We pretend it isn't happening, and that is why it thrives. But the statistics are one in three girls one in five boys will suffer sexual abuse at the hands of an adult. And if telling my story helps people to speak out, if it starts conversations, then the discomfort is more than worth it.

It's really hard, Larry, and I don't think we'll ever get any easier. But I think that in itself defines the problem that we face. That we shroud abuse in secrecy, We pretend it isn't happening, and that is why it thrives. But the statistics are one in three girls one in five boys will suffer sexual abuse at the hands of an adult. And if telling my story helps people to speak out, if it starts conversations, then the discomfort is more than worth it.

Yeah, I mean, it's an incredible message and incredibly brave. I think for a lot of parents they wonder when is the right time to talk to children bear children about this, and that's what the campaign is about. It's never too early to talk. So what are some things you would recommend for parents at home listening today that they need to think about when it comes to child sexual exploitation and how to handle it with their children, how to talk about it.

Yeah, I mean, it's an incredible message and incredibly brave. I think for a lot of parents they wonder when is the right time to talk to children bear children about this, and that's what the campaign is about. It's never too early to talk. So what are some things you would recommend for parents at home listening today that they need to think about when it comes to child sexual exploitation and how to handle it with their children, how to talk about it.

Well, you know, it's really simple things, really common sense things that as parents and parenting is hard, that we're often too tired or too busy to ask or don't think that we can ask. I mean, I know for myself that half the time I don't know what day of the week it it is. Let alone, what best practice is to keep my kids safe? So it's things like who will I allow to change my child's happy? Who asks themselves that question? No one ever, But it's really important. A child is so vulnerable in that situation. Things like if I'm looking at a babysitter, who else will have access to my child in that household? If I'm looking at a daycare center, which daycare centers are government endorsed where everyone is accredited and has working with children's checks. It's things like identifying red flags in your children's behavior and physically, and also listening to your kids and listening to your instincts in spite of what anyone else might tell you.

Well, you know, it's really simple things, really common sense things that as parents and parenting is hard, that we're often too tired or too busy to ask or don't think that we can ask. I mean, I know for myself that half the time I don't know what day of the week it it is. Let alone, what best practice is to keep my kids safe? So it's things like who will I allow to change my child's happy? Who asks themselves that question? No one ever, But it's really important. A child is so vulnerable in that situation. Things like if I'm looking at a babysitter, who else will have access to my child in that household? If I'm looking at a daycare center, which daycare centers are government endorsed where everyone is accredited and has working with children's checks. It's things like identifying red flags in your children's behavior and physically, and also listening to your kids and listening to your instincts in spite of what anyone else might tell you.

Yeah, it's really such important information. But hey, listen, you've had some beautiful news as well. You recently we gave birth to your seventh child.

Yeah, it's really such important information. But hey, listen, you've had some beautiful news as well. You recently we gave birth to your seventh child.

How is that?

How is that?

How's that beautiful bundle of joy?

How's that beautiful bundle of joy?

Oh?

Oh?

Like I'm standing hey, I'm standing. It's not my first rodeo, so I've learned very quickly from experience to always wear floral print every kind of spellach. It's going well, I think. I think it's helped by the fact that I finally made peace with the fact that I'm never going to sleep again. So you know, all things said and done, we're getting there.

Like I'm standing hey, I'm standing. It's not my first rodeo, so I've learned very quickly from experience to always wear floral print every kind of spellach. It's going well, I think. I think it's helped by the fact that I finally made peace with the fact that I'm never going to sleep again. So you know, all things said and done, we're getting there.

Lazy being honest with yourself because yes, with seven children and a baby, you know it probably sleeps not happening any type. So anyway, so lovely, I can just can you tell us where people can get information about Project Paradigm because there's a new resource out just for them today.

Lazy being honest with yourself because yes, with seven children and a baby, you know it probably sleeps not happening any type. So anyway, so lovely, I can just can you tell us where people can get information about Project Paradigm because there's a new resource out just for them today.

Absolutely our it's never too early resource will be available from three pm today at Project Paradigm dot com dot au under resources and it's also available on the Australian Center Account Child Exploitation your website which is a c CCE dot gov dot au. And thank you so much for your support because it really is never too early to talk about childhood sexual abuse and it's never too early to keep our kids safe. Such an important.

Absolutely our it's never too early resource will be available from three pm today at Project Paradigm dot com dot au under resources and it's also available on the Australian Center Account Child Exploitation your website which is a c CCE dot gov dot au. And thank you so much for your support because it really is never too early to talk about childhood sexual abuse and it's never too early to keep our kids safe. Such an important.

Message, incredible message I lovely to see, madam.

Message, incredible message I lovely to see, madam.

Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.