Carly Ryan was 15-years-old when she was murdered by an online predator. It was the first crime of its type in Australia, occurring in 2007 when social media was a new phenomenon and paedophiles were starting to infiltrate the online space. Determined to help prevent harm to other innocent children and families and to help them navigate their online journey safely, Carly’s mum Sonya incorporated The Carly Ryan Foundation in 2010.
The CRF is a trusted online safety program provider under the Office of the eSafety Commissioner and delivers online safety and healthy relationship seminars to students and parents. The organisation also provides a range of services and support in the areas of internet safety and crime, cyberbullying, connection to resources and counselling and contributing to law and policy reform.
The harm-prevention charity is based in Carly’s home state of South Australia but presents its education program ‘Project Connect’ nationally. Its team will deliver in excess of 300 seminars throughout the year while balancing its political advocacy work which has already seen ‘Carly’s Law’ introduced into the Commonwealth Criminal Code in 2017 and in South Australia in 2018.
The Carly Ryan Foundation has now expanded into the United States and will continue efforts to introduce Carly Law there whilst sharing valuable resources and crime prevention initiatives to benefit US citizens and children.
This crime type is borderless, offenders can easily access their victims from anywhere in the world, exploiting them under a veil of privacy and anonymity.
Ms Ryan has led efforts for over a decade in Australia to make her home country one of the toughest on online crime and harms and now an international leader in crime prevention.
Sonya's lived experience of extreme suffering demonstrates the strength of a mother's love connection with her daughter - the unparalleled power of love
