Annie is co-founder of no more fake smiles with her mum, Tracey. Annie graduated Year 12 in 2018 with great results, despite having been through the final phase of a three-year criminal court case in the NSW justice system. At twenty-one years of age, Annie Jones has the vocabulary and mannerisms of any young woman poised to take hold of life and give it a shake. She is breezy and engaging. Underneath the exuberance of youth, however, is a tower of strength, resilience and fortitude, one which belies the terrible experiences and weighty role she now willingly devotes herself to. Annie’s experiences are the darkest kind, but she has risen from those shadows with grace and purpose. She is a beacon of light for all those who have been abused, an empowering song ringing out: ‘I will listen, I see through that smile. I believe you.’

Annie, you’re a young entrepreneur with a vision to make a difference and build awareness around child sexual abuse. Tell us about your charity No More Fake Smiles and the purpose behind?

No more fake smiles is a nationally registered charity located on the sunshine coast established by mum Tracey and I, four years after I found my voice and felt strong enough to speak out about the sexual abuse, I had endured for years by my stepfather. Through growth, understanding and reflection of my own experience I have created this safe space, one I dreamt of finding throughout my years of abuse. No more fake smiles give a voice to child victims of sexual abuse.

Our Purpose is to be;
A place where you can truly be yourself and get the resources you need to support you, your friend or child in a time of need. The days of hiding behind a fake smile and going through our days pretending are behind us.  Let’s move forward and speak up and out about these issues in Australia.

Our Vision is to;

•  Remove the stigma around child abuse in our Society;
• Empower child victims to speak out when abuse first occurs;
• Educate adults to listen and believe a child’s disclosure of abuse;
• Raise awareness of the connection between child sexual abuse and mental health issues;
• Raise awareness of the effects of child sexual abuse on secondary victims (i.e., family, carers, friends);
• Facilitating appropriate therapeutic services for victims of child sexual abuse and secondary victims of child sexual abuse;
• Advocate for protection and respect of children who are victims, or at risk of child sexual abuse;
• Advocate for changes in the judicial system to better protect children who are victims, or at risk of child sexual abuse

What guided you towards working to assist others and why now?

Often, I wish I could reach back overtime and whisper to my 13-year-old self-it’s going to be okay, don’t be afraid, in the end it will be alright. I obviously can’t do that, which is why I have created no more fake smiles instead, as suffering in silence is no longer an option. No more fake smile is born from personal experience and through growth, understanding and reflection of my own experience I have created this safe space, one I dreamt of finding throughout my years of abuse. I hope to inspire others to never give up and grow/ heal through child sexual abuse, becoming the best version of yourself you can possibly be.

What traits and qualities do you admire in a leader?

The traits and qualities I admire in a leader are honesty, integrity, authenticity, accountability, self – belief, empathy and compassion.

No More Fake Smiles is being well supported by people on the Sunshine Coast, how can people help or find out more?

You can find out more about no more fake smiles through our website https://www.nomorefakesmiles.com.au and social media pages.

It takes a village to raise a child but a whole community to keep them safe. Keeping children safe is everyone’s business. All children and young people have a right to feel and be safe at all times

Annie’s dream is to make suffering in silence no longer an option. Our vision and purpose are evident; however, we cannot fight this fight alone or reach our goals without your help!

Join the no more fake smiles community and play your role in keeping our children safe. Our community welcomes everyone who shares our vision and purpose. We are your community, and together we will make a difference.

And what’s next on the agenda for Annie Jones?

I am currently studying a dual degree in Bachelor of Criminology & Justice and Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) as well as Certificate 3 in Education Support. I hope to deliver guest speaking within the community on child sexual abuse and mental health impacts and to create an education program around this issue to help educate youth and minimise the amount of suffering caused from this horrific crime.

Favourite movie and why?

My favourite movie is Mrs Doubtfire, I love Robin Williams so much. The movie reminds me of my childhood and is one I would never get tired of watching!

What’s one thing that you do for yourself every day?

One thing I do every day for myself is take time to look after my mental health. Saying affirmations, doing mediations (I love the headspace app and use it most days), stretching, eating healthy, exercising or journaling.

What mantra do you live by?

Two main mantras I live by are – you live most of your life inside your head. Make sure it is a nice place to be, and to always be true to yourself. To always be authentic.

To find out more about Annie and No More Fake Smiles head to:

Website
https://www.nomorefakesmiles.com.au/

Facebook
@nomorefakesmiles