United Nations Special Rapporteur on child abuse Mama Fatima Singhateh lands in Alice Springs

An international child abuse investigator has landed in Central Australia, as crimes against Territory kids jump by 22 per cent.

Ms Hucks said there had been a 22 per cent increase in the number of sexual offences against Northern Territory children in the last financial year. Picture: Jason Walls

An international child abuse investigator has landed in Central Australia following 12 months of increased sexual violence against Territory kids.

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children visited Alice Springs last week as part of her nationwide investigation.

The NT acting Children’s Commissioner Nicole Hucks said Mama Fatima Singhateh met with her, as well as civil leaders, non-government organisations, Aboriginal community controlled organisations, experts and grassroots service providers in Alice Springs.

The NT acting Children’s Commissioner Nicole Hucks met United Nations Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children Mama Fatima Singhateh this week. Picture: Laura Hooper.

Ms Hucks said their meeting highlighted the need for proactive programs to engage communities, and the level of socio-economic disadvantage facing Aboriginal kids in the Territory.

She said economic inequality made children more vulnerable to emotional, physical and sexual harm, particularly if they were in a home marred by substance abuse or domestic violence.

“Harm to children is unacceptable and we must ensure every effort is made to prevent harm to the most vulnerable members of our society,” Ms Hucks said.

“It is imperative that earlier intervention and prevention support is accessible to any child, anywhere that they may live in the Northern Territory, to prevent any form of harm.”

Ms Hucks said there had been a 22 per cent increase in the number of sexual offences against Northern Territory children in the last financial year.

However, in Alice Springs the trends of abuse have varied widely between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous kids.

Ms Hucks said there was a 44 per cent increase in the number of sexual offences against non-Indigenous Alice Springs kids in 2022-23, compared to a 33 per cent drop in crimes against Aboriginal children.

While the federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for a royal commission into child sexual abuse in Indigenous communities, Ms Hucks instead called for six-year-old child protection recommendations to be implemented.

“We are six years on from the Royal Commission into the Protection and Detention of Children in the Northern Territory, we must not forget the vulnerabilities our children in the Northern Territory grapple with, and continue to commit to protect them and support their families effectively,” she said.