Purse for a Curse is a fundraiser that Imaginif is this year holding for the Abused Child Trust. My partner and his business colleagues have been approaching many high profile Australians – politicians, sporting heroes, singers and actors. Not one person approached has yet refused to donate a used wallet or purse to be sold at an on-line auction. Congratulations and thank you to those people: busy and constantly approached to sponsor, support or mentor a plethora of good causes, I am grateful that child sexual abuse prevention and treatment factors high in their giving.

A donation of a used wallet, purse or bag costs the famous person nothing. However, the funds that the same used accessory can bring may help thousands of children. The recognition of ability to use their fame for good, rather than for pretentious or high revenue return, is what sets these people out as extraordinary.

Our intention is to mount the Purse for a Curse campaign into full swing in late April, 2007. Working with the Abused Child Trust, our company, Imaginif, will host the event and donate profits to the Abused Child Trust (the charity that we donate to will change each year).

What sort of business can display their corporate responsibility toward ending child abuse? Any business that is not involved in child exploitation is a welcome partner in the fight against child abuse and the protection of children.

The Abused Child Trust has several corporate partnerships across the Government, Non Government and Private sectors. Businesses, large and small, have taken the opportunity to give back to a protective Australian community by either donating a percentage of sales, making yearly cash contributions, or assisting the Trust with in-kind support.

Thumbs up to those businesses that proudly display their corporate responsibility toward the Abused Child Trust. I sincerely hope that they receive additional business from consumers who appreciate financial and in-kind contributions to an area that potentially affects all future consumers: our children.

Whereas many individuals make a decision to support a cause against child abuse, a smaller number actually turn their decision into action. Today is the start of the rest of your life. Use this day to kick-start yourself into action.

Identify a child-focused charity, organization or group that you want to support (Imaginif supports the Abused Child Trust). Make contact with them and discuss what would be most helpful to them. Turn the discussion into action: do it!

You may have a great idea but are too embarrassed to carry it forward. Great ideas need great people to turn them into reality. If you are already interested in child protection, you are a great person and you can do it.

In Finding a company to buy your business ideas, I provide a case example of a man who had a great ‘family focused’ idea. With some simple action and a good deal of feeling initially dejected, he was paid handsomely for his intellectual property.

Purse for a Curse is a simple idea that I came up with. After some basic market research, I just began organizing Purse for a Curse and then contacted the Abused Child Trust to ensure that they would be the recipient of raised funds.

Business or individual, you can play a valued role in child protection. When we started collecting our five-cent coins for the Abused child Trust our 11 year old and 20 year old started doing the same thing. Instead of having two adults tipping into our large blue vase, we now have four people in our home doing it. This was not discussed with the kids; they just began doing it voluntarily because they could see the worth of protecting others.

If you’ve got a tip that other families could also use, post it here to provide readers with a variety of social responsibility ideas. Not every idea will suit everybody’s circumstances. Sharing is a form of child protection.

Tatts and Tiara Day, a Valentine’s Day fundraiser for those who experience the opposite of love, now awaits the jewel in the crown – knowing how much money was raised nationally for the Abused Child Trust. Obviously, I’m not a candidate for Australian Princess. My tiara gave me a headache and I had to keep taking it off. This gave me cause for reflection though. How easy it was for me to just toss my tiara aside and get on with my life.

For many of our world’s children they are unable to toss their headache aside and get on with life. They live with the daily threat and experience of abuse. Without committed individuals and agencies to assist their plight, these children may grow into hurt, scared and dysfunctional adults. Is this how we want our future leaders to be?

Child Protection is the responsibility of all of us. I was not encouraged in knowing that our community cares by the few business houses displaying Tatts and Tiaras posters and selling Abused Child Trust merchandise this Valentines Day.

A quick content analysis of our local paper revealed 15 advertisements for Valentine’s Day and NO advertising supporting those who experience dysfunctional love (abuse) on Valentine’s Day.

We live in a fiscal world where cash is king. Advertising is expensive and child abuse does not equate to increased profit lines for corporations. Or does it? If one in three children are abused by the time they reach 18 years of age that’s an awful lot of future spenders who may well just support those industries that openly display their corporate responsibility toward child sexual abuse prevention.

Imaginif managed to sell a box of Tatts and Tiaras merchandise. That’s a donation of $115.00 to the Abused Child Trust. Small fry but if only 10 people in my area had done the same that’s $1150.00 that stays in our area to support children and their families affected by child abuse.

In addition to the merchandise sold, Imaginif will be donating the coins collected in our big blue vase since New Year’s Day. Every year we support a different child abuse charity. In 2007, our charity of choice is the Abused Child Trust. Our vase collection, made up of useless 5 cent coins, netted $43.15 in only 45 days. I challenge you to match this amount and donate it straight to the Abused Child Trust or a similar charity in your corner of the world.

Be a Royal – flush child abuse away by supporting a charity that works toward ending child abuse.

Show Some Heart This Valentine’s Day (February 14). Help children who have experienced the opposite of love: child abuse.

The Abused Child Trust is an independent charitable organisation that helps families keep children safe through therapy, education, research and advocacy.

Tatts and Tiaras Day is the Abused Child Trust’s biggest annual campaign – raising vital funds to help abused and neglected children in your community. You can help by registering as a supporter to help sell their special merchandise in your workplace, school or retail outlet. It’s easy and it’s fun!

The Tatts and Tiaras merchandise kit includes specially-designed tattoos, tiaras, pens, pins and bracelets – they’ll send you a kit when you register. And, you don’t have to wait til Valentine’s Day - you can start selling your merchandise as soon as it’s received.

Tatts and Tiaras Day is a day to celebrate. Celebrate your appreciation of keeping kids safe by planning a special event at work, school or with friends. Have a tough love day and proudly wear your tatts to show how tough you are about ending child abuse. Encourage everyone to dress up in their best frocks, tiaras, suits and tattoos – and charge them a nominal fee to attend. The fund raising all goes back to the Abused Child Trust to help families and children in your local area. What a great way to help 2007 children in 2007.

For more information and to get involved visit the site of Tatts and Tiaras.

Child Sexual Assault must cease. It is a shame to our modern, evolved world that some people use sex as a weapon of power against our children. It is a greater shame that many of us do not know what or when we can do something helpful to fight against the social curse of child sexual abuse.

During 2007, I urge you to assist at least 2007 people affected by child abuse. With prevalence figures like one in three, it is not difficult to help 2007 people in 2007. You do not need to know these people and you will get no return other than knowing that you have helped to improve the life of people affected by a hideous crime. This is a fantastic return, far greater than real estate or stock exchange can ever produce.

Don’t wait until a person tells you they are a survivor of child sexual abuse. The majority of people never tell their secret. When to support ending Child Sexual Abuse is now: today, before you even know anybody affected. The more we support the cause and the more we talk about it, the easier it will be for men, women and children to disclose. Disclosure leads to sexual predators thinking twice about abusing our kids.

Every month this year, undertake to do a simple action that will have multiple impact on ending Child Sexual Abuse. Here are 12 ideas to get you started.

1. Donate used clothing, toys, books, trinkets, or household items to charities that assist families made homeless through sexual assault or family violence.

2. Save your small coins in a single container and donate to a child-focused charity at the end of 2007. On January 1, we began putting all of our five cent coins in a vase and will donate to the Abused Child Trust. The vase sits near our front door and I’ll be encouraging visitors to also make a small coin donation.

3. Teach your children Protective Behaviours and have open conversations in your home about the importance of telling someone if anyone touches or scares your child.

4. Set up a small monthly donation to a child-focused charity. Five dollars per month may not be missed from your budget but $5.00 x 12 = $60.00.

5. Support a business that supports Child Sexual Abuse.

6. Save Motel soaps and shampoos and donate to a rape crisis centre.

7. Contact a Rape Crisis Centre and ask what they need for people who have just been raped. Following the medical examination, many people who have been raped lose their clothing to evidence. Underwear, shirts and shoes take a large chunk of a helping service’s budget.

8. Buy and read a book (fiction or non-fiction) about child sexual abuse. Stepping into a survivors shoes helps to firm your commitment to ending sexual abuse.

9. Talk with a person who has been sexually abused. Find out about their life. Ask what you could do to improve their situation. Find a way to help them.

10. Ask clubs you are involved in to hold a fund raiser for the prevention of child sexual abuse.

11. Link to sites or blogs about child sexual abuse. The more people who publicly say they support ending child sexual abuse, the faster the sexual predators will get the message that their behaviour is wrong.

12. Leave 12 comments on blogs about sexual abuse. When survivors see no comments, they wrongly think that nobody cares about sexual abuse. Show survivors that you do care and that you are willing to help them have a voice. Start here. Leave a comment. Many of my survivor clients read this blog.

When to Support Ending Child Sexual Assault? Start today.

Other Topical Whensday articles:

Topical Whensday: When Will YOU Tee On to Cause an Effect?

Topical Whensday: When will YOU wear a Colored Tee to Recognize Violence Against Women and Children.

Topical Whensday: When will children be visible?

Topical Whensday: When will you help a child with HIV/AIDS?

Topical Whensday: When Will Your Yes Mean Yes and Your No Mean No.

STOP Child Abuse by doing just one small thing to improve the life of 2007 children. Yes, 2007 children are waiting for YOU to create them a Happy New Year.

Last year I supported NAPCAN by ensuring that I consistently linked to them, advertised for them and shared their resources.

This year I choose to support the Abused Child Trust. By picking a single non-profit organization that tirelessly works to support children I am doing one little additional thing to improve the life of maximum numbers of children.

We all lead busy lives and forget that others have lives less fortunate than ours. By supporting a charity against child sexual abuse, I spend little time to achieve maximum support. I often don’t have sufficient funds to donate but I do have commitment, passion and drive to ensure that the plight of children at risk remains high on the public agenda.



I ask you to join me in 2007 to ensure that your help protects at least 2007 children.

Begin your new year by:

Subscribing to the daily email reminder of the Child Health Site. By simply clicking on their link daily, the partners donate 100% of collected revenue to pay for the vital health services of children in developing countries. Let’s help them reach 2007 children per day.

Buy clothes or household goods from the Child Health Site store.

Donating $20.07 to a child focused charity of your choice. My commitment is the Abused Child Trust.

Creating a voice that says that you, or your business, will not tolerate Child Abuse. Leaving comments on blogs is a simple and FREE way to achieve this. Comments provide comfort to survivors who measure the infiltration of child abuse discourse by reading who and why people are talking about it. I aim to leave 2007 supportive comments on other child abuse focused blogs.

Adopt an at risk family who has a child born in 2007. Donations of used clothing, little presents like packets of pencils for school, a cake, a smile, a card can make the difference between children growing up thinking that nobody cares about them.

Help 2007 young families: allow them to go ahead of you at the cashier, offer to reach something that a parent holding a baby can’t reach, or even smile supportively. This is FREE and takes no time at all.

Happy New Year. Let’s make sure it stays that way for the children of the world.