Setting a course for focus, action and change to disrupt and abolish the factors that enable child sexual abuse is central to the work of the newly established National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (the National Centre).
Reflecting on how this change is led, sometimes the most helpful ideas to take us forward are not new. Even if they are not perfect or attract criticism, they establish themselves as wisdom and continue providing us with a way forward through current and challenging times. This is the case with the work of Kingdon and Stano (1984) who describe what creates change at the broad system, policy and political levels. In their model, there are three factors needed and when those factors come together, change is activated. These factors are problems, policies and politics.
Problems – these are the emerging indicators, program evaluations and feedback
Policies – this is where solutions to problems are generated by policy experts
Politics – this is where large scale interventions are ignited through high-profile actors such as politicians and advocates whose political influences — through, say, elections and the national ‘conversation’ — give momentum to action.
According to Kingdon and Stano, change emerges when the streams are linked: solutions are linked to problems; plans are linked to political momentum; political influence is linked to policy problems.
Looking to those who have successfully commenced the generational change required to address child sexual abuse, Sharwar et al (2022) say that “the United Kingdom (UK) has… been ranked first among 60 countries for its response to the threat of sexual violence against children”. Utilising the Kingdon model, they reflect on what has delivered that outcome in the UK and what other countries could learn about action for real change. In summary, they pointed to “high-profile scandals and the re-framing of [victim] survivors as deserving of support raised public awareness of the problem. Second, champions concerned with CSA [child sexual abuse] developed evidence-based and politically feasible solutions. Third, the Prime Minister’s concern and other political developments opened a policy window.” (p.1). This UK experience highlights the model in action and it may well have applicability in Australia.
Applying this model to disrupt and stop child sexual abuse in Australia
Problems
The landmark Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS) (2023) has outlined the stark reality of child maltreatment in Australia. The ACMS found that child sexual abuse in Australia is widespread and that its impacts are often enduring and intolerable. The study reported that child sexual abuse across the Australian population (16 years and above) is prevalent with 28.5% of Australians experiencing some type of sexual abuse.
This study sits on the foundation of accumulating historical lived experience narratives heard through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (Royal Commission). And before. And since. The community narrative has begun to shift from victims and survivors somehow being to blame for what happened to them to an emerging understanding that they must be heard, believed and supported. Our understanding of what constitutes child sexual abuse is becoming clearer and our action for prevention therefore should be more targeted.
As a result of the ACMS, we are left with no doubt what the problems are, how they impact across the life span and within families and communities. It is clear what we need to do to better support victims and survivors and to protect children from the crime of child sexual abuse.
We cannot look away.
Policies
The Royal Commission itself and subsequently, the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse 2021-2030, led by the National Office for Child Safety, have brought together the advice and expertise of policy makers to develop a set of evidence-informed and politically achievable solutions across a range of domains with the buy-in of all government jurisdictions. The emergence and establishment of the National Centre itself is one of these policy solutions.
There are clearly genuine efforts to coordinate responses and build momentum in action for change. But is it enough? Are things changing as a result and are actions responding to the urgency?
Politics
The authors of the ACMS have called for expanded public health approaches to respond, concluding that such approaches have reduced the prevalence of physical and sexual abuse.
The National Centre agrees. However, we note that with the complexities presented for individuals living with the impact of child sexual abuse and the large change scale and service reconfiguration required, alignment between problems, policies and politics is rapidly needed to lead to change in these spaces.
Wider than health, it is about, for example:
- early parenting and family support in social services
- police and justice portfolios responding more reliably, compassionately and safely to children and adults who disclose child sexual abuse, including the interface with other countries and their people
- education and early childhood sectors
- state governments seeking to manage child protection and youth justice demand
- communications portfolios where cyber protection must be reliably built
- shared and agreed definitions of consent across the country.
Action and change require buy-in across portfolios and jurisdictions, as well as coordinated political leadership. As noted above, the report from the UK concluded that the involvement of the Prime Minister to prioritise this work was critically important.
At the heart of changes needed is community dialogue to build momentum, understanding and reduce stigma. The National Centre is committed to fostering a shared language to advance understanding about child sexual abuse (including grooming) and its effects across the lifespan of victims and survivors.
We will also support efforts to build on the critically important ACMS and measure the prevalence and impact of child sexual abuse, including the number and needs of victims and survivors over time. We will measure community understanding and attitudes about child sexual abuse and we will collaborate to act.
References
1 Kingdon, J. W., & Stano, E. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies (Vol. 45, pp. 165-169). Boston: Little, Brown.
2 Shawar, Y. R., Truong, P. P., & Shiffman, J. (2022). The emergence of political priority for addressing child sexual abuse in the United Kingdom. Child Abuse & Neglect, 128, 105601
3 Mathews B, Pacella R, Scott JG, et al. The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey. Medical Journal of Australia. Medical Journal of Australia. Med J Aust 2023; 218 (6 Suppl): S13-S18.
