Renae Pepper Consulting

20/11/2023

A privilege to be asked to present with my colleagues in DECYP and to sit on the discussion panel with inspirational leaders in the HSB space, Dale Tolliday, Elspeth McInnes AM and Kathryn Fordyce at the Daniel Morcombe Foundation Tasmanian Forum. A great day of sharing ideas, discussing progress, and identifying what more we can do to address Harmful Sexual Behaviours and Sexual Harm.

09/08/2023

There are many people who took part in the Commission of Inquiry...me included. Some who have been directly affected by sexual harm and some who work in supporting those affected. I've had people on the mainland comment on how "bad things must be in Tasmania" with what has come out in the Commission. My response is this stuff unfortunately happens everywhere and at least Tasmania is willing to undergo a COI to look at failings and make changes for the safety of children and young people. If we don't reflect and we don't learn from our mistakes, then we don't make change. We are eagerly awaiting the recommendations.

15/07/2023

In helping teenage boys and the broader community to understand and protect themselves from Sextortion, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, used the naked mole rat as its mascot in a novel public-service campaign.

A great way of using humour to bring awareness to the topic of sextortion and create safety for young people.

Help prevent and fight online extortion with mole rat memes and gifs.

15/07/2023

An agency very close to my heart. ❤️ My old workplace and a fantastic service providing support for those who have experienced sexual harm.

If you are a skilled clinician and love working with children, adolescents and their families then consider working at the Sexual Assault Support Service. This role is specifically working in the PAST Program with children and young people who are displaying problematic or harmful sexual behaviours. A much needed service.

SASS is a not-for-profit community-based 24/7 crisis response and counselling service supporting people affected by sexual assault. SASS is guided by trauma informed principles, and highly values diversity, continuous quality improvement and staff development. We are seeking applications for a passi...

12/07/2023

This is great advice (not surprisingly) from the eSafety Commissioner! And it doesn't just pertain to cyberbullying, but also to online sexual abuse and harm.

Take the time to talk with your children about what is happening online, don't judge them, don't isolate them from their peers, but educate them and help them understand what action they can take when they have been abused or feel unsafe.

09/07/2023

How would you respond if you found your child had been viewing po*******hy?

For many parents it is complete panic.... followed either by total avoidance or a punitive response. The situation may seem overwhelming and scary but remember these 5 points....

1. Stay calm and don't panic
By staying calm, we let our child know that we are not mad at them, we are not judging them, we still love them, and we are here to help.

2. Acknowledge their curiosity
Children are naturally curious; it is a time when they are developing and learning to navigate the world. Acknowledging their curiosity helps them to feel normal.

3. Be curious yourself
Ask... how did they come across po*******hy? Did they hear about it from someone else? What did they actually see? This gives you information that assists you in your response.

4. Educate and support
Educate your child on what po*******hy is. Explain that it is not real life, that it is harmful and that it is not safe. Support them on how to navigate conversations with their peers and educate them on healthy, loving relationships.

5. Safeguard
Reinforce having safe, open conversations so that your child will come to you when they see or hear something unsafe. Check security settings on devices. Set boundaries around online use.

It can be scary when this topic comes up, but it can create an open and educative dialogue which will benefit everyone. 😊

07/07/2023

Its important to know where to go if you need to report concerns about a child or young person who may be affected by sexual exploitation. Remember in Tassie we also have the Advice and Referral Line to report any form of child abuse 1800 000 123.

06/07/2023

Language is so important in this space. It can create judgement and place responsibility on the wrong person. Context is vital to ensure the right response occurs. Words can drive context. Be mindful of the words you use.

05/07/2023

In April this year the Australian Child Maltreatment Study realeased its primary outcomes. It found that of Australian's aged 16 years and over, 28.5% had experienced child sexual abuse. More than 1 in every 4 people.

We know it takes some people years to report sexual abuse and many never report at all. The impacts of such trauma can be life long and debilitating.

There are amazing services, therapists and supports out there working every day to safeguard children, to educate around consent and healthy relationships, and supporting victim/survivors to recover and heal.

To read more about the ACMS go to

The Australian Child Maltreatment study (ACMS) is the FIRST Australian prevalence study of child maltreatment. This research will play critical role in generating data to inform policy and practice reforms to reduce child abuse and neglect in Australia.

05/07/2023

IFYS and Project Paradigm are doing amazing work bringing awareness to the topic of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE).

CSE is when a child is sexually abused in exchange for some form of remuneration which benefits the perpetrator. This could be financial benefit, social or political gain or where children are used as a commodity to acquire sometime else.

For more information on CSE go to https://projectparadigm.com.au/

If you wish to consult around a case that you think may be CSE, feel free to contact me for more information.

What does CSE look like? The United Nations says... Child sexual exploitation is the abuse of a child where some form of remuneration is involved whereby the…

05/07/2023

Welcome to Renae Pepper Consulting!!! I am a registered psychologist, board approved supervisor and I have worked for over 15 years with vulnerable children and young people.

I specialise in working with those who have experienced sexual harm, including child sexual abuse and child sexual exploitation and I also work with children and young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviour.

Now I want to provide the professionals with support. I offer supervision and consults for those working in the trauma space and especially working with clients affected by sexual harm.

Please contact me if you are interested in clinical supervision or want to consult about a specific case or matter.