Active Research

Australian Child Maltreatment Study

    • Understanding child sexual abuse
    • Prevention of child sexual abuse
    • Response to child sexual abuse
Research Topic areas 
  • Community awareness
  • Drivers of child sexual abuse
  • Intersection with other violence/victimisation
  • Online abuse
  • Prevalence
Project Duration
Geographical Scope
Nation-wide
Populations
Victims and survivorsGeneral community
Children (6-12 years)Adolescents (13-17 years)Young adults (18-25 years)
Gender
All genders

Project Lead

Professor Ben Mathews, Queensland University of Technology
Project lead email: b.mathews@qut.edu.au

Project Team

Professor Daryl Higgins, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University
Professor Michael Dunne, Queensland University of Technology

Background

Reducing the prevalence of child maltreatment offers the greatest opportunity to prevent mental illness, suicide and other serious health problems in the Australian population. The Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) is the first Australian prevalence study of child maltreatment. It will look at mental and physical health outcomes and will survey 8,500 Australians aged 16 and over.
Scoping work for the National Office for Child Safety on what any future waves of data collection similar to ACMS, and parallel or sub-studies should like, is almost complete.

Aims

To learn about the prevalence, health and economic burden of child maltreatment.

Methods

Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews

Significance and Dissemination

This comprehensive $2.3 million study of prevalence, health and economic burden of child maltreatment covers the five forms of maltreatment:
• physical abuse
• sexual abuse
• emotional abuse
• neglect
• exposure to domestic violence

Further Details

Share project
Funding body:
National Health and Medical Research Council
Australian Human Research Ethics Committee:
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the Queensland University of Technology Human Research Ethics Committee (ratified by the Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee)
Webpage link:
https://www.acu.edu.au/about-acu/institutes-academies-and-centres/institute-of-child-protection-studies/our-research/current-projects/australian-child-maltreatment-study

Related posts: Understanding child sexual abuse

Prevention of child sexual abuse

Upskilling the community sport volunteer workforce to respond to child abuse in sport: a collaborative research project

Aurelie Pankowiak
Institute for Health and Sport, Victoria University
Read more
Prevention of child sexual abuse

Accessibility of child sexual abuse prevention in Australia

Susan Rayment-McHugh
Sexual Violence Research & Prevention Unit, University of the Sunshine Coast
Nadine McKillop
Sexual Violence Research & Prevention Unit, University of the Sunshine Coast
Read more
Prevention of child sexual abuse

From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.

Emma Rees
Queensland University of Technology
Read more
Go back to register

Subscribe to
news and updates

Stay informed: Join our mailing list.

The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (National Centre) respectfully acknowledges and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Nations and pay our respects to ancestors and Elders past and present. We recognise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, culture and lore continue to lead Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and acknowledge the tireless work to pursue justice outcomes for children and young people.
 
The National Centre supports decisions affecting people’s lives being fundamentally informed by those people. And upholds truth telling and agreement making for justice as essential components of healing.
 
We seek to honour the lived and living expertise of all victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, harnessing all ages, cultures, abilities and backgrounds, and commit to substantially addressing the harm of child sexual abuse, now and well into the future.
 
We recognise that there are children and young people today who are experiencing sexual abuse and dedicate ourselves to doing all we can to expedite and promote their effective protection and care.

Supported by

Back to top

Understanding child sexual abuse

Accessibility of child sexual abuse prevention in Australia
Read More
Preventing child sexual abuse by understanding perpetrators’ motivations
Read More
Supporting Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: Rapid Evidence Reviews
Read More
Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)
Read More
Preventing repeat child exploitation material offending: An international evaluation of the CEM-COPE Program
Read More
Conceptualising and Estimating the Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation (Phase One of Australian Study into Economic Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation)
Read More
An environmental scan of Child Sexual Abuse related workforce training offerings in Australia
Read More
Enhancing the capability of Australia’s Primary Health Workforce to respond to child sexual abuse
Read More
CHANGE – curtailing harm and navigating growth: evidence for change pathways of young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Amplifying the voices of victim-survivors: Advancing the harmful sexual behaviour evidence base – the Ava project
Read More
Reshaping the Conversation: Development of a shared language and preferred definitions guide endorsed by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse
Read More
Building a knowledge frame for responding to the needs of children and young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Children and Young People’s Safety Project
Read More
Child safe practices using contextual safeguarding strategies
Read More
The more I talk, the stronger I get: unlocking our past to free our future
Read More
Delivering trauma-informed support for child sexual abuse victims in Victoria: mapping the knowledge gaps and training needs of the specialist sectors
Read More
Online child sexual victimisation and associated mental health outcomes
Read More
Differentiating adverse childhood experience profiles of male youths who exhibit harmful sexual behaviours
Read More

Response to child sexual abuse

Upskilling the community sport volunteer workforce to respond to child abuse in sport: a collaborative research project
Read More
Accessibility of child sexual abuse prevention in Australia
Read More
From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.
Read More
Supporting Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: Rapid Evidence Reviews
Read More
Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)
Read More
Preventing repeat child exploitation material offending: An international evaluation of the CEM-COPE Program
Read More
Evaluation of the Multi-Agency Investigation & Support Team
Read More
Conceptualising and Estimating the Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation (Phase One of Australian Study into Economic Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation)
Read More
Effect of multi-agency deliberation on perceptions of risk in responses to child abuse and neglect
Read More
The Australian child sexual abuse attitudes, knowledge and response study
Read More
CHANGE – curtailing harm and navigating growth: evidence for change pathways of young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Improving legal, policy and practice responses to the intersection of domestic violence perpetration and child sexual abuse offending
Read More
Investigating experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure and disbelief in the Family Court
Read More
Understanding the experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure in Australia in the wake of the Royal Commission
Read More
Building trauma-responsive sexual health and relationship education
Read More
Learning from victims and survivors about what helps disclosure and responses to child sexual abuse
Read More
Amplifying the voices of victim-survivors: Advancing the harmful sexual behaviour evidence base – the Ava project
Read More
The dignity by design project: survivor-led system redesign
Read More
Evaluating a harmful sexual behaviour education program in a residential care setting
Read More
Community as experts: investigating the context, needs and help-seeking pathways for child sexual abuse survivors and their supporters in the NSW Bega Valley
Read More
Developing and implementing a framework for abuse prevention through culture change and organisational development
Read More
Reshaping the Conversation: Development of a shared language and preferred definitions guide endorsed by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse
Read More
Building a knowledge frame for responding to the needs of children and young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Children and Young People’s Safety Project
Read More
Child safe practices using contextual safeguarding strategies
Read More
Enhancing the capacity of rural and regional respectful relationship educators
Read More
Strengthening relationships and connections for young people in therapeutic residential care
Read More
The safeguarding capability of adults in Catholic Church ministries: a global perspective
Read More
Creating safer futures: raising public awareness of child sexual abuse among young adults through digital storytelling
Read More
Survivor perspectives on institutional use of child sexual abuse material
Read More
The more I talk, the stronger I get: unlocking our past to free our future
Read More
Delivering trauma-informed support for child sexual abuse victims in Victoria: mapping the knowledge gaps and training needs of the specialist sectors
Read More
Online child sexual victimisation and associated mental health outcomes
Read More
Differentiating adverse childhood experience profiles of male youths who exhibit harmful sexual behaviours
Read More

Needs of victims and survivors

From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.
Read More
Supporting Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: Rapid Evidence Reviews
Read More
Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)
Read More
Evaluation of the Multi-Agency Investigation & Support Team
Read More
The Australian child sexual abuse attitudes, knowledge and response study
Read More
An environmental scan of Child Sexual Abuse related workforce training offerings in Australia
Read More
Enhancing the capability of Australia’s Primary Health Workforce to respond to child sexual abuse
Read More
Improving legal, policy and practice responses to the intersection of domestic violence perpetration and child sexual abuse offending
Read More
Investigating experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure and disbelief in the Family Court
Read More
Understanding the experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure in Australia in the wake of the Royal Commission
Read More
Building trauma-responsive sexual health and relationship education
Read More
Learning from victims and survivors about what helps disclosure and responses to child sexual abuse
Read More
Amplifying the voices of victim-survivors: Advancing the harmful sexual behaviour evidence base – the Ava project
Read More
The dignity by design project: survivor-led system redesign
Read More
Supporting continuous quality improvement in safeguarding at Hockey Australia and other national sporting organisations
Read More
Evaluating a harmful sexual behaviour education program in a residential care setting
Read More
Community as experts: investigating the context, needs and help-seeking pathways for child sexual abuse survivors and their supporters in the NSW Bega Valley
Read More
Enhancing the capacity of rural and regional respectful relationship educators
Read More
Creating safer futures: raising public awareness of child sexual abuse among young adults through digital storytelling
Read More
Survivor perspectives on institutional use of child sexual abuse material
Read More
The more I talk, the stronger I get: unlocking our past to free our future
Read More

Prevention of child sexual abuse

From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.
Read More
Preventing child sexual abuse by understanding perpetrators’ motivations
Read More
Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)
Read More
Preventing repeat child exploitation material offending: An international evaluation of the CEM-COPE Program
Read More
Conceptualising and Estimating the Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation (Phase One of Australian Study into Economic Costs of Child Sexual Exploitation)
Read More
The Australian child sexual abuse attitudes, knowledge and response study
Read More
An environmental scan of Child Sexual Abuse related workforce training offerings in Australia
Read More
CHANGE – curtailing harm and navigating growth: evidence for change pathways of young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Evaluating a harmful sexual behaviour education program in a residential care setting
Read More
Developing and implementing a framework for abuse prevention through culture change and organisational development
Read More
Building a knowledge frame for responding to the needs of children and young people who have engaged in harmful sexual behaviour
Read More
Strengthening relationships and connections for young people in therapeutic residential care
Read More
Differentiating adverse childhood experience profiles of male youths who exhibit harmful sexual behaviours
Read More

Identification of child sexual abuse

Upskilling the community sport volunteer workforce to respond to child abuse in sport: a collaborative research project
Read More
Accessibility of child sexual abuse prevention in Australia
Read More
From bystanders to allies: a structural feminist perspective for supporting child victims and adult survivors of child rape and torture.
Read More
The Australian child sexual abuse attitudes, knowledge and response study
Read More
An environmental scan of Child Sexual Abuse related workforce training offerings in Australia
Read More
Enhancing the capability of Australia’s Primary Health Workforce to respond to child sexual abuse
Read More
Supporting continuous quality improvement in safeguarding at Hockey Australia and other national sporting organisations
Read More
Evaluating a harmful sexual behaviour education program in a residential care setting
Read More
Developing and implementing a framework for abuse prevention through culture change and organisational development
Read More
Children and Young People’s Safety Project
Read More
The safeguarding capability of adults in Catholic Church ministries: a global perspective
Read More

Disclosure of child sexual abuse

Upskilling the community sport volunteer workforce to respond to child abuse in sport: a collaborative research project
Read More
Ngagagee Ngulu Murrup Durra (‘The Ngagagee project’)
Read More
The Australian child sexual abuse attitudes, knowledge and response study
Read More
An environmental scan of Child Sexual Abuse related workforce training offerings in Australia
Read More
Enhancing the capability of Australia’s Primary Health Workforce to respond to child sexual abuse
Read More
Improving legal, policy and practice responses to the intersection of domestic violence perpetration and child sexual abuse offending
Read More
Investigating experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure and disbelief in the Family Court
Read More
Understanding the experiences of child sexual abuse disclosure in Australia in the wake of the Royal Commission
Read More
Learning from victims and survivors about what helps disclosure and responses to child sexual abuse
Read More
Supporting continuous quality improvement in safeguarding at Hockey Australia and other national sporting organisations
Read More
Community as experts: investigating the context, needs and help-seeking pathways for child sexual abuse survivors and their supporters in the NSW Bega Valley
Read More