Official Launch of CAIP's Promotional Exhibition "It Happens at Home"

Wednesday 20 November 2002

Subject of exhibition: stories and photographs about different experiences of family violence

I note that there are six speakers at this event. It makes me conclude the fast track to saintliness will lie in keeping it brief and simple.

We need to be brave enough to look squarely at our collective shame as a nation in our still casual attitude toward family violence.

There is such a chasm between the childhoods of our people that for some they may as well be living on a different planet.

The grim reality is that some of us maim and kill our kids physically, cripple them emotionally and break their spirit with the rage of enemies, not parents or friends.

The science is now available to show that children raised in violent, unloving homes actually never get to start to reach their full mental potential. A mind raised in fear quite literally refuses to grow.

I'm not one of those politicians who discovers the virtues of healthy families once every three years. I believe there is nothing more important to our society than helping nurture healthy families.

Sometimes to make a journey toward a goal we first need to stop and look around and see where we are. This exhibition helps give us a snapshot of where we are as a society.

As to the goal, I can do no better than the bottom line goal of one South American city where their main aim is to simply work toward a city where every child feels, and is, loved and valued. So should we.