I am often asked by people, what they can do to help stop child abuse. This question alone is a good thing. It means that people are beginning to think about child abuse as a community responsibility: something that the average person can impact upon.

Through writing to Helium, I have made some solid friendships with other writers. Two males in particular stand out amongst the crowd. Two normal guys, doing their thing, and trying to make the world a better place. Both of those men have recently written about child abuse. Congratulations to them. They have taken a chance; have written publicly about a topic that many people dislike, and have effectively stood up and said: NO more child abuse.

Issues affecting children have long been viewed as women’s business. It is interesting to note here that by far the greatest perpetration of sexual and physical abuse is by men. I wonder why we make men’s issues women’s business? It is time for men to stand up and say to other men that bad behaviour will not be tolerated. It is time for men to become responsible and openly contribute to ending the endemic social curse that is affecting approximately half of our future male adults.

Standing against child abuse does not require degrees or years of experience. We all have a voice and most of us will be repulsed by the way some children are treated. Talk openly about your repulsion when you hear stories of child abuse. Talk about what it is that you would like to see happen. Talk about what you can do to help stop child abuse. Open and regular talk is the beginning of consciousness raising and change.

I would like you to read the articles of my two normal, male friends:

What to do if your child tells you he's been abused by Erik Van Tongerloo

Christian religion and child cruelty by Brit (Paul Lines).

These two normal people have found an outlet for their voices against child abuse and in doing so have become extraordinary, different to the rest of the pack. I hope that other so called normal males will follow suit and also begin talking about ending child abuse, especially child sexual abuse.

One blog that has often caught my attention is a site owned by a male survivor of child abuse: Child Abuse Survivor. Congratulations belong to him also. Another ordinary guy, just doing his thing and in the process impacting on ending child abuse.

Together we can end child abuse. Child protection is the responsibility of all of us - it is everybody's business. Who is with us on this matter?