Abstract
Australia is talking about 'Closing the Gap'.This gap relates to differences in qualitative and quantitative criteria, comparing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders with non-indigenous people. We link internet access with prevention of trauma for young Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in Queensland Australia. Some areas around the world are lagging behind with information technology (IT) development, so it appears do some of the rural and remote areas in Queensland Australia. We look at the gap in internet access and how potentially good IT access may have a beneficial effect on how trauma is perpetuated trans-generationally. Human society is seeing unprecedented acceleration in the development of faster and wider ranging options for communication. We show that lack of IT access is potentially a barrier to accessing self-motivated education and changing perceptions as to what may be acceptable parenting. We draw parallels with powerful internet-assisted groupings of individuals that triggered change. Some of these initiatives have been successful, some appear popular and widely acceptable,others not. Immediate communication was quintessential for individuals coming together. Self-motivated addressing of the cycle of abuse via internet social networking sites in Australia's remotest areas is unlikely without good IT access. Of course there are many other factors contributing to the prevalence of child abuse in remote parts of Australia. Although we are hopeful, it remains to be seen what effect the internet will have on moving forward together when even the remotest parts are well connected.
Highlights
We place ‘the Gap’ in its wider context
Australian news regularly report Caucasians dying in the outback when, for example, stranded in a car but not surviving, whilst there are no such regular reports of indigenous people dying in such situations
We find that the gap is 2 sided, on the one side the gap is about immigrants sometimes lethal lack of survival skills in face of hardship and dangers in remote Australia and on the other side it is about the disadvantages of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in “Western Society”
Summary
We place ‘the Gap’ in its wider context. We investigate how a gap in provision of internet access may influence victims getting together and standing up for their protection. We look at some of the models for behaviour modification for perpetrators of child abuse. To our knowledge this is the first paper that examines the potential of IT access, i.e. social networking sites, change in behaviours and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Reports for 2011 show that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people ( on referred to as “children”) are over-represented in child protection and out-of-home care services if compared to other Australian children. Between 1 July 2010 and 30 June 2011, of 1000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children “34.6” had child protection records of substantiated harm, or risk of harm from abuse or neglect.
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