Meet Emily, the senior clinician specialising in Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) at Gatehouse, the RCH’s free, voluntary Specialist Sexual Assault Service.
“I help to break down barriers to accessing specialist sexual assault services for children at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation.
I also help children, young people, and their carers identify ways to disrupt and recover from CSE and provide education and support to carers when children and young people are experiencing or at risk of CSE.”
CSE is a form of sexual violence and child abuse where an adult exploits a child’s vulnerabilities. It can involve coercion, manipulation, or forced sexual activity in exchange for something of value.
Online CSE is on the rise, where the internet is used to facilitate abuse.
“I have a social work background, starting my career in out of home care services, where I saw how little education and support there is for young people at risk of sexual exploitation. I feel strongly that children who have experienced CSE deserve the same opportunities as all other children.”
“A typical day for me starts at one of our Gatehouse sites, meeting with children, young people, and their families.
We identify ways to support them and help them reconnect with their communities, education and interests. We work towards therapeutic goals to overcome past incidents of sexual abuse or sexual exploitation.”
“The best part of my role is meeting children and young people in their communities such as in their residential care home, school or local public area. This often means we can meet in a space they feel comfortable and feel in control. When talking about challenging topics, I like to ensure we always end on a fun note, sometimes a happy memory, a joke or a mindfulness activity.”
Gatehouse is a free and voluntary Specialist Sexual Assault Service based at the RCH with community-based sites in Werribee and Melton.
To refer a child or young person, call 03 9345 6391 and ask to speak to our intake team.
If you are in an emergency, please call 000 for urgent assistance.