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ASCA is a national Australian non-government organisation dedicated to the health and wellbeing of adult survivors of all forms of child abuse and neglect. By conservative estimates there are more than 2 million adults surviving child abuse in Australia. More than 8 million Australian community members are directly affected by this tragedy. Despite this the impact of child abuse and the needs of adult survivors receive little community or government support. ASCA’s National Advertising Campaign was the first crucial step in a community awareness program designed to create the change needed for survivors to be able to come forward and receive the help they need. This campaign has now entered its second phase and has been supported by a human rights stance.
Since 1995, ASCA has provided support for those who have suffered abuse in the past and are struggling with its effects in the present. For well over a decade ASCA has been raising awareness about the legacy of childhood trauma. Through its Australia-wide network of survivors, supporters and professionals ASCA has been helping to break down the sense of isolation and alienation that many survivors feel.
ASCA is now entering a new era of possibilities and positive outcomes. Recent studies show that skills-based programs and appropriate therapeutic intervention can significantly reduce the legacy of childhood trauma. In 2009 ASCA announced its National Circuit Breaker Strategy - a strategy aimed to ensure that all adult survivors of child abuse and neglect in Australia will be able to access the services they need to facilitate their health, wellbeing and meaningful engagement within their communities. As part of this strategy ASCA has developed and is delivering a set of psycho-educational workshops for survivors as well as education and training for health care professionals.
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