To the Attorney General.

We are submitting this petition with the aim of seeking your help with this great injustice in Australia.

We are seeking the sentencing of paedophiles & child murderers TO BE THE MINUMUM SENTENCE OF 25 YEARS TO LIFE. Why you may ask? We’ll let us say, the law was brought in for the one hit punch and the use of ice, because of the effects on families and the community. What is this horrific crime? It is a violent crime on no other than a CHILD, this crime also affects families and our communities, who is going to protect the children if we and your government will not? the only ones with this HORIFFIC CRIME who get a LIFE SENTENCE is the CHILD. I have researched this topic and obtained some statics from Braveheart’s website and the jail time given to offenders is really appalling and a change has to be made.

Did you know that only 4 people have only ever been given more than 10 years in prison these are the following people

Dante Arthurs (b. 1984) – raped and murdered a child in a shopping center in 2007. Sentenced to 13 years imprisonment.[7]

Brian Keith Jones (b. 1947) – in 1981, he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 12 years. In 2006, he was sentenced to an indefinite term for breaching the parole conditions.

Robert 'Dolly' Dunn (1941–2009) – a school teacher working for the Marist Brothers, a Catholic religious order. He had committed 24 sexual offences against young boys over a 10-year period to 1995. Charges also included three drug charges. In 2001, he was sentenced to 30 years imprisonment with a non-parole period of 22 and a half years.

Dennis Ferguson (1948–2012) – in 1988, he kidnapped and sexually abused three children, and was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment.

Here is the most shocking statics of all in 1994 a survey of 453 pedophiles, revealed they were collectively responsible for the molestation of over 67,000 children. That's an average of 148 children per individual pedophile.

In 2001-2012 there were 5,828 cases of sexual abuse against children how can this figure be so large and we have so many pedophiles walking free after given a sentence of 9months for such hideous crimes.

According to Braveheart’s research and figures there are 59,000 children sexually abused each year. These children will be effected by this before there 18th birthday. In fact, since the announcement of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in November, Braveheart’s alone has experienced a 350 per cent spike – or almost 400 calls per week – to their crisis line.

Most victims of sexual abuse know there abuser. In 2009 42% of sexual assaults reported to law enforcement agencies in Australia that year took place against children under the age of 14. This statistic includes sexual assaults that adults said were committed against them when they were under the age of 14. The percentage of cases in which the child had a familial relationship with the perpetrator were: 26% Southern Australia over 20% of cases in the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania 39% of cases in New South Wales and 30% of cases in Queensland. Wow is all I can say!!!!

In 2014 the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that police had identified about 30 to 40 children under the care of the Department of Human Services of Victoria who have been abused by paedophile gangs.

The problem is Judges are not taking into account to effect this has later in life on these victims it seems they think that because they are 5 or 6 or even 10 they will grow up have counselling and lead a normal life but this is in fact Child sexual abuse could trigger the development of future violent behaviour resulting in criminal convictions psychosomatic responses, psychiatric disorders, long-lasting emotional problems; youth  suicide,  regression, sleeping and eating disorders, lack of self-esteem; nightmares, mutilation, self-hatred, promiscuous behaviour,  aggression.  A wide variety of later effects had been pointed out, including sexual difficulties, inability to form lasting relationships, a serious lack of self-confidence, marital problems and poor parenting skills not to mention the suicide rates and history of drugs and violence.

 

71% to 90% of adolescent and teenage girls and 23% to 42% of adolescent and teenage boys in a Maine inpatient substance-abuse treatment program reported histories of childhood-sexual abuse Victims of child sexual abuse report more substance abuse problems. 70-80% of sexual abuse survivors report excessive drug and alcohol use among male survivors, more than 70% seek psychological treatment for issues such as substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide. Males who have been sexually abused are more likely to violently victimize others. 70% of prisoners were abused as children. 80 to 85 per cent of women in Australian prisons have been victims of incest or other forms of abuse; a study of 27 correctional centres in New South Wales found that 65 per cent of male and female prisoners were victims of child sexual and physical assault; and the New South Wales Child Protection Council reported in 1992 that the probability  of  future  delinquency, adult criminality and arrest for a violent crime increased by around 40 percent for people  assaulted and  neglected  as  children. (Hansard, 2002a) In 1995/96, the total fiscal expenditure on child abuse by the South Australian Government was conservatively estimated at $41.4 million….. Of this, it is estimated that over $10.3 million is currently spent in direct response to child sexual abuse. (Briggs, 1999) A recent Australian study funded by a Criminology Research Council Grant, conservatively estimates the (tangibles) cost to society of child sexual assault to be in excess of $180,000 per child. (Briggs, 1999) At a national level, the ABCI conservatively estimates 40,000 Australian children will be sexually abused each year. That’s $7.2 Billion dollars’ worth of damage.

 

I could go on with more shocking statics but I am sure you are aware of these and shorley some of these statics shock you and make you realise we need a similar system to America and the UK in which they get 25 years to life and they are handed a sentence for each offence and served consecutively.  

 

These little people, little babies, need you to stand up for them, what about the AFP, POLICE, DOCTORS, NURSES, OUR AMBULANCE AND PARAMEDICS? These HEROES have to deal with the aftermath of what these less than human creatures have done. They look after these tiny souls just babies, my heart bleeds and cries for all of them. The families blame themselves, what if I did this what if I did that? Families are hurting with two of the saddest words on this planet "IF ONLY”.

These predators are getting caught for one offence, but what about the hundreds they never get caught for, face facts, this is a most horrific crime on the most vulnerable in our society.

The future of this great country is the children and the babies if we don’t do something now and take a stance against these people then what hope do we have as a country we need to take a stance and take a stance now. All I can say is when I read the statics it made me physically sick to my stomach.

Yes I am also talking as a parents of a child who was sexually assaulted once a month going to a function it was the only time I let her catch a bus as the bus driver had become a family friend and all he got for his crimes against my daughter was a good behaviour bond and she was handed a life sentence of nightmares, fears for her own children, anxiety, major depression I am just thankful that she is a strong women and has not been effected by Drugs or Alcohol but she is Chronically sick.

Please sign this petition and show the Attorney General that we has mothers, Fathers, Uncles, Aunts, Grandparents and friend’s won’t stand for these predators to get a slap on the wrist anymore.

Have a blessed day  

Suzanne Crowther NSW