Alice Springs nurse reveals reason she didn’t speak sooner after detailing child sexual abuse

A nurse left Karl Stefanovic speechless with disturbing claims about Alice Springs reveals the shocking reason she didn’t speak out sooner.

Warning: Distressing

A registered nurse in Alice Springs has revealed the terrifying reason many emergency services personnel don’t speak up about the family violence they witness, detailing her fear of being fired from a government job if she sounded the alarm.

Rachel Hale, who has worked as a registered nurse in the Northern Territory for almost 14 years, spoke on Tuesday of the “level of trauma and shocking occurrences of sexual violence” she had witnessed, which means some children in Alice Springs simply do not have a safe home to which to return.

Now, Ms Hale has revealed the frightening reason she didn’t speak up sooner, given so many in the healthcare and emergency industries work for the government.

Ms Hale said she was worried to speak honestly about child sexual abuse as she feared losing her job. Picture: Channel 9

“If you’re speaking up and you work for the government, what do you think the government is doing to do,” Ms Hale told news.com.au.

“I was very hesitant to come forward … Any employer will have a social media clause that limits what you’re allowed to do online. I agree with that 100 per cent, but it stops information from getting down south.

“In the Northern Territory, we all know that this is a prevalent problem. It’s so expensive living in Northern Australia, so when you have a good job, you want to hold onto it.”

Ms Hale said many children roamed the streets as they lacked a safe home environment. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

Ms Hale said she was so worried about being “fired or sued” from her previous role, she didn’t begin to come forward with her experiences treating sexual abuse victims until after moving into self-employment.

She said she knew a number of other healthcare workers and police offers who decided not to speak up due to similar fears — resulting in a harrowing feeling of guilt.

“The problems that were present the first day I moved up here are the problems that remain today. It haunts you,” Ms Hale said.

“You feel a lot of guilt, because you see it so often but you’re basically powerless.”

“You feel a lot of guilt … you’re basically powerless.” Picture: Liam Mendes / The Australian

Ms Hale said she moved into self-employment after deciding she could no longer deal with the trauma head-on while caring for two young children at home — as she recounted times driving home in tears after traumatic days treating young patients.

“I left face-to-face nursing behind because it would have destroyed me,” she said.

“If you talk to any healthcare worker, ambo, police officer who has been doing this for a long time, there are mental health issues and PTSD. You cannot un-see what we’ve seen.”

Ms Hale said she doubted alcohol bans and greater police presence would eradicate the problem.

“Alcohol perpetuates these issues, but it’s not the sole cause,” she said.

“It’s very confronting, but when we’re talking about grog bans and alcohol restrictions, if you’re paedophile and you take the alcohol away, you’re still a paedophile … There are programs that the government is trying, but it’s clearly not working.

Police were being shuffled between Alice Springs, Katherine and Darwin, without the real problem being addressed, Ms Hale Said. Picture: JPL/Media Mode/news.com.au

“You move the police into Alice Springs, but they have to come from Darwin and then violence springs up there. You have people moving to Katherine to escape the grog bans, and police are constantly shuttled between these same three towns without the problem ever being solved.”

Ms Hale said she didn’t believe the family violence excused youth criminality in remote areas, but that it helped the public to understand its context.

“These stories have to be told,” she said.

“I know it’s shocking, I know it’s confronting, but we have a responsibility to make sure these kids have a better life.”

The federal Health Department, NT Health Department and Police, and Fire and Emergency Services NT have all been contacted for comment.