The ex-wife of jailed children's author Craig Silvey has broken her silence, describing the "hardest year of my life" following the discovery of his child exploitation crimes. Clare Testoni spoke out after Silvey was sentenced to seven months' imprisonment for distributing and possessing child exploitation material.
Testoni, who shares three young daughters with Silvey, said the betrayal came while she was caring for twins and a toddler. "I had seven-month-old twins, a three-year-old, I had been drowning in motherhood and in his growing absence," she stated, adding that she had no idea what was truly happening with her husband. She emphasized that she and her daughters are "secondary victims" and have "suffered greatly."
Silvey, known for novels like "Jasper Jones" and "Runt," was found with numerous explicit images and videos of children and adults on his devices when police raided his home. He pleaded guilty to the charges.
Testoni stated that she separated from Silvey as soon as she learned of his crimes but acknowledged he remains the father of their children. Reconciling his future role in their lives is an "ongoing project," she said.
She also reflected on her relationship with Silvey, describing herself as "escaping a toxic relationship" and noting that he had previously hindered her own writing career. "Craig has already been a shadow that occluded me at times in my career," she said. She hopes to tell a new story going forward.
Silvey published a 9,000-word apology on Substack on the day of his sentencing. Child protection advocates criticized the apology for not adequately addressing the victims, with the chief executive of Bravehearts, Alison Geale, stating it was "a lot about his regret" and failed to name the actual crime.
Silvey's crimes were described by Judge Hayley Cormann as repulsive and degrading, with long-lasting impacts on his victims. He had been communicating with others discussing child abuse online under the alias "Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy."
Following Silvey's arrest, publishers stopped promoting his books, and his titles were removed from reading lists. Two charges of producing and possessing further child exploitation material were dropped in May.