“Superheroes are strongest when they tell people how they feel on the inside, especially if someone makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.”
Author, Yvonne Sewankambo delivered the meaningful message with effortless simplicity in the children’s book – ‘My superhero voice’ in English or ਮੇਰੀ ਸੁਪਰਹੀਰੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼ in Punjabi, to prevent child sexual abuse in Australia. The storybook was launched on September 26, as part of the national ‘One Talk at a Time’ campaign.
Developed by Cultural Perspectives in collaboration with the National Office for Child Safety, ‘My superhero voice’ has been translated into 10 languages to provide culturally and linguistically diverse communities in Australia a safe and inclusive way to discuss the topic of body safety with their children.
Also available online in e-book format on ChildSafety.gov.au/storybook, the book offers an engaging and age-appropriate story, empowering adults from all cultures and backgrounds to have preventative conversations about child sexual abuse with children and young people in their lives.
Intended as a community education strategy, the book, ‘My superhero voice’ and overarching campaign, One Talk at a Time, is culturally responsive, creating awareness about the power of having talks in helping to prevent child sexual abuse.
Jatindar Kaur, Mental Health social worker based in Queensland, who researched child maltreatment across ethnic minority communities in Australia – including child sexual abuse, highlighted many intrinsic behaviours and responses in some migrant cultures, towards child sexual abuse.
In Child Abuse and Neglect, published in 2019, Ms Kaur wrote that[1] migrant communities’ responses may include concerns about protecting the family’s name; feeling responsible for the abuse; and challenges navigating the layers of shame produced by cultural oppression.
Ms Kaur noted these ‘behaviours’ could be “barriers to child protection and safety”.
The book, My superhero voice will equip parents and carers and children to break the culture of silence and shame in their own culturally appropriate way to prevent child sexual abuse. It also acknowledges the positive cultural practices that can communities can use to help protect children.
The forethought into the development of the book is evident in its culturally inclusive yet appropriate presentation for children aged 3-5 years old and parents or carers, alike.
In the storybook, Nour learns her voice is her ultimate superpower by observing different cultural practices that help people in her life, speak up and get help when something makes them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Nour does not like being thrown up in the air ‘a bit too high’ by Dad, but fails to muster the courage to tell him that she did not feel comfortable being thrown that way; she feels very dizzy.
“Are you okay?” Dad asks.
Nour nods her head, trying her best to be big, strong and brave, just like her dad.
Dad wants Nour to understand that even heroes can feel uncomfortable and they would still remain heroes, especially when they speak up about ‘feeling uncomfortable’.
Keeping cultural sensitivities in mind, and using the anecdote of Nour, the author argues through Nour’s Dad, that the feeling of being ‘uncomfortable’ must be expressed.
Nour wonders how superheroes could ever feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
To settle that thought and understanding in her mind, Nour interacts with her peers and other adults around.
The author has employed diverse character representation and different cultural practices of CALD communities to illustrate and deliver the message – find the courage to speak up whenever you feel uncomfortable.
Characters named Lola and Lolo Reyes, Rawiri, Amrita, Aya, Matteo, Xuanjun, Namazzi and Siti shed light on their cultural practices of:
- asking council of elders;
- praying for protection and protection of your loved ones;
- teaching special words speak up to create sound that heals;
- doing a warrior dance;
- shouting for help;
- wearing a special bracelet to get strength to speak up;
- wearing a special necklace; and
- reflecting and discussing with family
The anecdotes will resonate with not only the CALD communities but also create awareness amongst mainstream society. As Nour interacts with the various characters, the book astutely presents an inclusive and vibrant Australian society – for greater social cohesion and understanding.
‘My superhero voice’ – is a brilliant anecdotal encapsulation for children, where Nour, becomes empowered with her superpower, giving her the reassurance that it is okay to speak up when something makes her uncomfortable.
“One should have the courage or develop the courage to speak up” was the message from the author, speaking to Bharat Times after the book launch and a beautifully-crafted reading session of the book by Yvonne to little children.
Illustrations by Nea Valdivia brilliantly portray a clever story-telling on each page, offering an important lesson for young children.
‘My superhero voice’ through its translated versions – in Arabic, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, Farsi, Hazaragi, Khmer, Korean, Punjabi, Thai and Vietnamese, will reach all those communities far deeper due to adopting a tailored, accessible and in-language approach to child sexual abuse prevention.
This book launch was part of the federal government’s launch of a $22.4 million One Talk at a Time public awareness campaign under the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030, which aims to educate adults who play an active role in the lives of children and young people.
The One Talk at a Time campaign has been lauded by ethnic communities, after the 2019 call for the Australian child protection system (CPS) to recognise and respond to child sexual abuse in migrant and refugee communities in a culturally responsive manner. This call came after Australia appeared before the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, where it was urged to improve protections for vulnerable children, particularly within migrant and Indigenous populations, by addressing gaps in cultural sensitivity, language support, and accessible resources.
WHERE TO FIND:
My Superhero Voice – ਮੇਰੀ ਸੁਪਰਹੀਰੋ ਜਿਹੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼ can be downloaded as a free e-book and includes other resources to support adults to learn more about child sexual abuse and have preventative conversations with their children, at ChildSafety.gov.au.
The government has also set up the National Office for Child Safety and a dedicated website – ChildSafety.gov.au – to protect children from sexual abuse.
[1] Kaur, J. (2019). Forensic Issues in Evidence, Impact and Management 2019, 20, 389-403.