Honest answers from the person who built this place.
Age verification is required to comply with Australian law, specifically the Minimum Age Act 2024 and the Online Safety Act 2021. It also protects our community by ensuring everyone on the platform has been properly checked before gaining full access.
Once you register, you will receive a verification link either within the platform or via the email address you provided. Please make sure you use a valid email during sign-up.
The Sanctuary is a text-based social platform where verified users can post freely, comment on posts, and message one another directly. There are no rigid categories - content flows naturally, much like a community noticeboard.
Verified users have access to all standard features. Certain harmful or illegal content is automatically filtered in line with Australian law, and voice and video calling is available to verified adults aged 18 or older.
My name is Jessica Shinsky. I had a challenging childhood, and rather than dwell on it, I decided to build something meaningful. The Sanctuary began in 2023, entered active development about a month ago, and went live on 16 March 2026.
This is not just a website to me. It is a place I wish had existed when I needed it.
I am the sole owner and operator of this platform, which means certain actions go directly through me. If you need to verify or have lost access to your account, I will personally sort it out for you within 24 hours.
There are three ways to verify:
During the Stripe verification process, you may see the name John Shinsky. This is the legal business entity under which the platform is registered. I am Jessica Shinsky, and I operate this platform personally under that entity for legal and compliance purposes.
As the sole owner and operator, I take full accountability for everything that happens here.
That is a fair question, and I think you should ask it of any platform you join.
I publicly attach my name to The Sanctuary. I voluntarily comply with Australian regulations including the Online Safety Act 2021. I moderate the community personally. I report child exploitation directly to authorities without hesitation. And I built this platform because I care about the people who will use it, not because I am trying to profit from them.
Trust is earned over time. I am here for the long run.
Email [email protected] from the address associated with your account. I will personally verify the request is legitimate and send you a temporary password within 24 hours.
That email address is also the home of Jessica's Unified Switchboard, which provides resources for users experiencing mental distress. You are never just a support ticket here.
The platform is managed using internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that cover everything from user verification to report handling. These are updated immediately when gaps are identified.
Portions of these SOPs can be shared with investigators or users when needed to demonstrate how the platform is managed. All processes comply with eSafety Commissioner guidelines, OAIC principles, and NIST cybersecurity standards.
This is a collaborative platform. The community has input, and I listen.
Yes. Voice and video calling is available to verified users aged 18 or older. Calls are built on a peer-to-peer framework using MiroTalk, hosted entirely on our own Australian infrastructure. This means the content of your calls is end-to-end encrypted and does not pass through our servers - I genuinely cannot access what is said.
File sharing during calls is permitted, but must remain legal. Any illegal activity may require intervention and involve law enforcement.
Simple: if you would not say it in front of your grandmother, do not say it here.
It is the standard I hold all content to. Political opinions, personal stories, difficult conversations - all welcome. Cruelty, exploitation, and content designed to harm others - not here.
Age verification was introduced to comply with Australian law. Rather than moving servers offshore or looking for loopholes, I chose to implement it properly.
I will be honest - I do not fully agree with every aspect of enforced age verification. But protecting children and vulnerable users online is not something I am willing to compromise on. Compliance is the right thing to do.
Australia's age verification and privacy laws are among the strongest in the world right now. Hosting here lets me use that legal framework to genuinely protect users, rather than operating in a regulatory grey area.
Being American does not mean I have to operate like it. I agree that action is needed to keep people safe online, and Australia's framework gives me the tools to do that properly.
Freedom of expression is something I value deeply. Political speech, personal opinions, and open conversation are all welcome here.
But threats, exploitation, and content designed to harm others are not freedom of expression - they are harm. This platform draws that line clearly, and I make no apology for it.
Australian, without a doubt. Since I was about five years old, I have always valued structure, fairness, and responsibility over the idea of freedom without boundaries.
My philosophy is simple: give it a go, and look after your mate. Take care of the people around you, and they will do the same. That is what The Sanctuary is built on.