Government awareness campaign a waste of resources, says abuse survivor

June, Joyce, and Paula Kavanagh. Their  audiobook shares their insights on navigating life as survivors. File picture

A woman abused by her father over several years has criticised the approach of government to victims, saying money spent on awareness campaigns would be better spent on funding support services.

Paula Kavanagh’s father, Kevin Kavanagh, was convicted in 1990 for sexually abusing her and her two sisters, Joyce and June, for several years. The then 69-year-old dad of 10 children was sentenced to seven years in prison and served five. He died in 1996. Earlier this year, the sisters published an audiobook called The Grip of Childhood Sexual Abuse, in which they share their insights on navigating life as survivors.