Push to end Aussie ‘cycle of violence’ after alarming child abuse data, new weapon targeting kids revealed

As child abuse figures hit horrifying new heights, leaders from some of Australia’s biggest companies are being told their products are helping fuel a hidden wave of harm.

Corporate leaders, child advocates and young people will gather in Sydney today (Friday) for a landmark summit amid alarming new data exposing the scale of abuse facing Australian kids and the critical role businesses play in either preventing or fuelling it.

The Child Safeguarding in Business Summit, hosted by the On Us: Australian Business Coalition for Safeguarding Children, comes as fresh figures shows four in ten young Australians have experienced maltreatment, almost 30 per cent have been physically abused and one in four have been sexually abused.

And the danger isn’t confined to the home.

New research also shows 45 per cent of 15–17-year-olds in the workforce report being sexually harassed in the past five years.

Survivor advocate Conor Pall is set to speak about how everyday corporate decisions can either expose children to harm or protect them. Picture: Supplied

A high-profile line-up of speakers — including National Children’s Commissioner Deb Tsobaris, family violence survivor advocate Conor Pall, and representatives from Microsoft and TikTok — will outline how products like gaming consoles, banking service and telecommunications systems are increasingly being used in tech-facilitated abuse.

The event will also unveil Australia’s first child-safeguarding e-learning course for business, designed to show companies show their products and services can be weaponised against young people, even when they don’t work directly with them.

New data revealed that four in ten young Australians have experienced maltreatment. Picture: Supplied

Mr Pall, who grew up in a violent home, said businesses needed to understand the real-world impact their products have on children.

“Safeguarding children is everyone’s responsibility. If a child lives in a home where your product is used, your product impacts that child,” he said.

“When a bank fails to detect financial abuse, a child loses housing security.

When a Telco allows a perpetrator to churn through new numbers to harass them, that child lives in fear.”

Mr Pall said corporate leaders could no longer wait for politicians to force action.

“The consequence of inaction is that we continue to raise a generation of children who do not trust institutions to protect and support them,” he said.

Mr Pall is calling to end the cycle of violence. Picture: Supplied

“We are seeing thousands of young people navigate complex trauma alone because the digital and physical environments we built are hostile to them.”

“Businesses need to stop waiting for regulation to force them to do the right thing.”

Mr Pall said Australia’s “fair go” meant nothing if children weren’t safe.

“For children and young people living with violence, a fair go starts with being safe — at home, online and in their communities,” he said.

“That must be everybody’s job, not just the sectors.

“If business doesn’t step up to the plate to work alongside the government and the sector, we will never end the cycle of violence.”

The Summit will offer a course for businesses to show them how their product interacts with children. Picture: Supplied

Director of safeguarding at the Australian Childhood Foundation, Phil Doorgachurn, said The Summit would be a huge opportunity for business leaders to “step up” amid growing child abuse scandals.

“Children and young people want to be heard,” he said. “This is about ensuring their voices shape the way businesses creates safe environments.”

Originally published as Push to end Aussie ‘cycle of violence’ after alarming child abuse data, new weapon targeting kids revealed