A former Detective Sergeant, who specialised in tackling child abuse, has joined a local charity to continue supporting victims.
Tara Dunn spent two decades in the police service after she was inspired by a police advertising campaign in the 90s.
She worked a number of murder strike forces, including the murder of a child, as well as major drug importation before moving into the State Crime Command Child Abuse Squad.
It was during her time in the child abuse squad where she met Annie Jones and Tracey Morris, two inspirational women who went on to become the co-founders of Sunshine Coast-based charity No More Fake Smiles.
Now retired from the police service, Ms Dunn has thrown her support behind the charity, which supports child victims of sexual abuse with judicial advocacy and support as well as funding therapy of choice so the victims can emotionally heal from the trauma they have endured.
Ms Dunn recalled her shock when Ms Jones showed up to police interviews happy and smiling while making statements about the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepfather over three years.
“It would always disarm me how Annie had the ability to put a smile on her face even when her world was crumbling around her,” she said.
“It was always my concern that one day, the smile would fade and the mask could no longer continue to be worn.”
The long term mental health effects are very real for victims who do not heal their trauma.
The Child Family Community Australia Paper 11, released in 2013, showed there was a 10 times increased risk of suicidal thoughts and 15 times increased risk of suicide attempts.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 15,400 children aged 19 and under reported sexual abuse in 2020, yet Ms Dunn said the topic was still one few people want to acknowledge.
“It is time for the Australian community to recognise that this horrendous crime against our children does exist and will continue to exist if we do not as a community band together to make our community safer for children and more secure for our victims to disclose.”
When Ms Jones disclosed to her mother, Ms Morris believed her.
Ms Dunn said she has only met “a handful” of mothers while in the Child Abuse Squad who instantly believed their child.
“Tracey acted immediately to ensure the safety of Annie. This cannot be emphasised enough,” Ms Dunn said.
“Tracey went above and beyond to secure evidence and ultimately assist the prosecution with the conviction of the offender.
“At the same time, Tracey supported Annie, her three other children and a household.
“She continued to work and care for her family knowing that her world had changed for ever.”
Ms Dunn joined the No More Fake Smiles board in 2021 and her wealth of knowledge has been an asset to the charity.
From her observations, Ms Dunn said sexual abuse within a household often divided families, leaving the victim on their own.
This was a substantial social issue because 85 per cent of offenders abuse children within their family.
“This is when people like Tracey and Annie are most valuable and required,” she said.
“I personally witnessed Annie walk a number of victims through the disclosure process and Tracey taking the victim through the judicial process.”
“Having a network like No More Fake Smiles can be the factor between a successful trial with the victim engaged and stable or a trial that will not proceed due to the instability of the witness, which results in an offender walking free and no justice being served.”
The charity is funding a 16-year-old girl who was rescued from a cult and lives in a women’s shelter, a four-year-old boy who was abused by his step-brother and advocating for an 18-year-old girl who is in the midst of criminal proceedings following sexual abuse by her brother.
No More Fake Smiles aimed to raise $10,000 to protect and support those children and the many more who need it.
Donations are tax-deductible.
NMFS is wholly community funded, so every little bit counts.
