The Salvation Army's response to concerns about recent marketing material

The Salvation Army acknowledges that some members of the community are distressed by a recent story that was shared about a young 17 year old boy.  This was not our intention.

This is a true story about a young person being taken advantage of and was shared to illustrate the importance of the support from the public to be able to care for people experiencing a wide range of crisis and disadvantage.

"This story is completely true and has been re-told with names changed to protect the identity of this young person.  We share a story like this to help the community better understand the vulnerability young people face", said Major Paul Hateley, Territorial Public Relations Secretary for The Salvation Army Australia Southern Territory.

"It is a powerful illustration of the work of The Salvation Army but we acknowledge it may also be unsettling for people to read," he said.

"This is a story of an under-aged person who was taken advantage of and needed our support.  We are not making any judgements about anyone's occupation and we endeavour to be where the need is in our community", said Major Hateley.