Active Research
Improving legal, policy and practice responses to the intersection of domestic violence perpetration and child sexual abuse offending
- Understanding child sexual abuse
- Disclosure of child sexual abuse
- Needs of victims and survivors
- Response to child sexual abuse
Research Topic areas
- Domestic & family violence
- Drivers of child sexual abuse
- Government & policy responses
- Intersection with other violence/victimisation
- Justice & legal responses
Project Duration
Start: July 2023
End: August 2025
Geographical Scope
Nation-wide
Populations
Victims and survivorsParents & caregiversWorkforce
Young adults (18-25 years)Adults (26-65 years)Older adults (>65 years)
Gender
All genders
Project Lead
Associate Professor Michael Salter, University of New South Wales
Project lead email: michael.salter@unsw.edu.au
Project Team
Associate Professor Molly Dragiewicz, Griffith University
Dr Delanie Woodlock, Monash University
Angela Lynch, Queensland Sexual Assault Network
Dr Cate Banks, Monash University
Kathleen Maltzahn, Sexual Assault Services Victoria
Professor Jan Breckenridge, University of New South Wales
Di McLeod, Gold Coast Centre against Sexual Violence
Background
This project will provide essential insights into the challenges of responding effectively to the intersections of domestic and family violence and familial child sexual abuse. Domestic and family violence perpetrators are at increased risk of sexually abusing their children, however, responses to both are siloed and lack coordination.
Aims
This project aims to investigate how legal systems respond when child sexual abuse is reported in the context of domestic and family violence, explore how the co-occurrence of child sexual abuse and domestic and family violence is managed by services, and examine the lived experience of the intersection of domestic and family violence and child sexual abuse from the perspective of survivors.
Methods
This mixed methods project will include a content analysis of Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia cases, interviews and focus groups with up to 30 practitioners, and interviews with up to 10 adult victims and survivors whose mother or stepmother was subjected to domestic and family violence, and 10 domestic and family violence survivors whose children were sexually abused by the perpetrator.
Significance and Dissemination
This project will create new knowledge about cases in which child sexual abuse occurs in the context of domestic and family violence, how legal systems respond, and how services manage these cases. The project will document the complexities faced by victims and survivors, as well as the professionals involved in their cases, and will make evidence-based recommendations to improve outcomes.
Further Details
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Funding body:
The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse
The National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse
Funding budget:
$195,651 grant
$195,651 grant
Monitoring and governance:
This project is guided by oversight of the Project Advisory Group
This project is guided by oversight of the Project Advisory Group
Australian Human Research Ethics Committee:
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the University of New South Wales Human Research Ethics Committee
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