Sean Fewster analysis: Carly’s Law a fitting legacy for Carly Ryan and her tirelessly campaigning mother, Sonya
TEN years ago, a single mum from the Adelaide Hills faced two choices - give in to grief, or stand for something better.
- Carly’s Law to pass parliament
- Special Report: The real Carly Ryan
- ‘Carly’s Law’ Bill gaining momentum
- 10 years on: National safety campaign launched in Carly’s name
TEN years ago, a single mum from the Adelaide Hills faced two choices - give in to grief, or stand for something better.
No one would have blamed Sonya Ryan for buckling under the trauma of losing her daughter to an online predator.
No one except Sonya herself.
And so she took the more difficult choice of sacrificing what remained of her normal life to campaign, in the name of her daughter Carly, for online safety.
I met Sonya while covering the trial of Carly’s murderer and was honoured to be taken first into her trust and, later, both her circle of friends and the Foundation of unpaid volunteers she built.
Her goal was - and has remained - the creation of a law to catch, prosecute and punish those who lie about their age online in order to meet and harm children.
Her motivation was her daughter’s memory, and her source of strength an incredible “love connection” that could not be diluted by death.
While we volunteers have given all the time we can spare, Sonya has lived this crusade every hour of every day for a decade.
And so I have seen, first-hand, just how much it has cost her - emotionally, financially, physically - to pursue that goal.
I have watched her retell Carly’s tragic story and relive that intolerable pain time and again at schools, in the media and through the corridors of power to educate, enlighten and improve online safety.
I have talked with her about the 600 emails she receives, every week, from parents seeking advice and - frighteningly - children seeking her help with predators who are pursuing them.
Most powerfully of all, I’ve seen her break down from sorrow or exhaustion and then rebuild herself, as often as needed, because her work hasn’t finished.
It’s hard to put into words, then, how much it means to me to see the Foundation’s work recognised, Sonya’s goal realised and Carly’s ultimate legacy to be true national change.
That offenders face a maximum of 10 years’ jail - the same period Sonya has spent awakening the public, educating our kids and motivate our politicians - is utterly fitting.
Lives have already been saved by Carly’s story and her Foundation and, now, so many more will be spared suffering because of her Law.
The first person saved, though, was Sonya - and the realisation of her goal will only propel her to do even more in the future.