What would you do if your child told you, "You're not the mum I remember"? Content warning: This conversation is confronting, emotional and, at times, difficult to hear. We discuss child sexual abuse, online exploitation, grooming, and the challenges families face when navigating these issues. Today I'm joined by Kristi McVee. Kristi is a former Detective Senior Constable, specialist child interviewer, and straight-talking child abuse prevention educator who doesn't sugar-coat the truth. During her decade in the West Australian Police Force, Kristi investigated child sexual abuse, interviewed vulnerable children, managed child sex offenders, and witnessed the devastating cost of silence, shame, and systems that fail. But after years of witnessing the impact of abuse, navigating broken systems, and carrying the emotional weight of the work, Kristi reached a point where something had to change. When her daughter told her, "You're not the mum I remember," Kristi made the difficult decision to leave policing and begin the long journey of recovering from PTSD. Since leaving the police in 2020, Kristi has become a sought-after keynote speaker, bestselling author of Operation KidSafe, and a leading voice in protective parenting education. Today, she helps parents, caregivers, and communities better understand the realities of child abuse and how to keep children safe, both online and offline. In this episode, we chat about: Kristi's journey from young mum to detective and specialist child interviewerThe emotional toll of investigating child sexual abuse and living with PTSDWhy broken systems and a lack of support can impact frontline workersThe warning signs of child grooming and predatory behaviourThe growing risks children face online through social media, AI, sextortion, and image-based abuseHow parents can better protect children in a rapidly changing digital worldWhy delaying access to social media can benefit children's developmentThe importance of having honest, age-appropriate conversations about safety with children While the topics in this episode can be confronting, Kristi shares practical knowledge, hard-earned insights, and the conversations every parent, caregiver, and trusted adult needs to be having. Because protecting children starts with understanding the risks, recognising the warning signs, and being willing to have the conversations that many of us never had growing up. Connect with Kristi: Instagram: @kristimcvee Facebook: @kristimcvee TikTok: @tiktokcop81 YouTube: @kristimcvee81 Website: https://www.kristimcvee.com Podcast: https://www.kristimcvee.com/podcast Resources & Courses: https://www.kristimcvee.com Support the show: Got a topic idea or would love to share your story on the podcast? Connect with me on Instagram @lifeafterileftpodcast - I would love to hear from you. New episodes drop every Thursday. Make sure you’re subscribed, so you never miss a story that could change your life (or someone else's). And we’d love a 5-star review to help these stories reach the women who need them most. ❤️ Remember: Don’t be silent. Be unstoppable.
