Through Young Black Eyes (2007 Edition)

Foreword

Violence, child abuse and child neglect are not new to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, nor are they unique to our communities.

SNAICC has long said that violence is not the way our communities should deal with the anger, frustration and despair that flows from generations of abuse and violence inflicted upon our people through colonisation, dispossession and the removal of our children.

In 1991 SNAICC produced Through Black Eyes, a national resource handbook aimed at assisting communities to develop the strength to talk about and respond to domestic violence. In 2002 SNAICC released Through Young Black Eyes, focused on the impact on children of family violence, child abuse and neglect. That edition was updated in 2005 and now again in 2007. This new 2007 edition is accompanied by a series of training resources to assist communities develop their own community child safety plans.

On 21 June 2007 the coalition federal government undertook a radical intervention in the Northern Territory, overhauling the land tenure and permit systems and family welfare payments as a response to child abuse in the Northern Territory. SNAICC expressed its doubts at the usefulness of this approach and advocated that governments must take action with local Aboriginal communities, not impose actions upon them. but whatever governments do, there are always actions that local agencies, services and communities can take.

Children at risk of abuse can’t wait until governments get their approach right. Through Young Black Eyes is about what you can do today, regardless of what others do. It is about people taking their own action, setting their own standards about what’s good for children and what’s not, and it’s about speaking up to protect children.

Strong families raise strong children who will grow and rebuild strong communities. This is both the lesson of our history and the path to a better future. When governments sought to destroy our communities, they took our children. now that we have our children with us, we must protect and nurture them. This must include protecting them from the devastating impact of family violence and abuse. Undoubtedly the best way to do this is to confront violence and abuse where it exists, uphold the rights of children to grow up in an environment which is free from violence and turn to – not against – each other and heal those that may be or have been perpetrators of violence.

For the 2001 National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day SNAICC adopted the theme: We are watching and learning from you – make us proud of all you do. That is the challenge that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children present to the rest of their community. Will your children be proud of you if you neglect or harm them? Will they be proud of you if you beat those you love or will they be proud of you if you resolve family disputes with violence?

Children need to be proud of the people around them to be proud of their culture and proud of who they are – Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. confronting family violence, child abuse and child neglect with honesty and commitment will make our children prouder, stronger and happier – it will make them safe.

SNAICC hopes that this handbook assists in achieving that goal.