Child abuse linked to alcohol consumption

#1041 for broadcast on 2CH Sydney, 29 Feb 2015

The NSW Council of Churches has backed calls by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education for a broad public health approach to alcohol abuse in response to the release of a damning report on the impact of alcohol on children.

The report, titled Hidden Harm, found that 140,000 children were badly affected by the alcohol consumption of their parents or carers, and alcohol abuse contributed to the placement of 10,000 children in child protection.

Chief executive of the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education, Michael Thorn, said governments needed to develop new policies to tackle the problem.

He said better regulation of alcohol availability would result in reductions in the incidences of family violence and the severity of family violence.

The NSW Council of Churches supports consideration of harm minimisation measures to reduce alcohol-related violence including earlier pub closing times, lock-outs, restricting the advertising of alcohol, and raising the legal drinking age.

I’m Rod Benson for the NSW Council of Churches.