News Release: New child abuse ads: Exactly the right message. December 6 2009.

The new Are You Strong Enough? Never Ever Shake a Baby campaign is exactly the sort of message thousands of children and young people have been advocating needs to happen. Over the past six years, in an education programme about family violence coordinated through the Ministry of Social Development, children have consistently seen the issue of doing something about breaking the cycle of violence is about adults needing to be brave or strong enough to step up. The education programme has worked with over 30,000 children and is regarded internationally as a model for working with young people on sensitive issues.

Dr Peter O’Connor, adjunct associate professor in education at the University of Sydney, who has lead the education programme in schools through out New Zealand, says the new campaign moves beyond the rhetoric of the Its Okay campaign to addressing abuse for the most vulnerable in society in a manner which acknowledges the strength of character required to stop abuse. Dr O’Connor says that children in the programme say nearly everyday that its adults with out guts who let children down. Kids will be thrilled that adults have finally worked it out.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media