Why are children and young people still being sexually abused?

The answer is that we do not, as a community, believe that it is important enough to act – comprehensively and urgently.

Child sexual abuse is a contemporary issue, not something that has only happened historically in institutions. It is still a problem in Australia with 28.5%¹ of the population having experienced child sexual abuse (18.5% of all Australians aged 16 and over have been abused by an adult such as a parent or adult family member, a teacher, or a stranger). This means that more than 1 in 3 females and almost 1 in 5 males have been, or are being, sexually abused. These children have been, and continue to be, subjected to sexually abusive exposure, touching, attempted rape and rape. We know that child sexual abuse is extremely harmful with an often-lifelong trajectory of trauma and impact.

So why is it still happening?

When the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) was initiated, the focus was tightly defined, of course, to the institutional context. However, the Commissioners themselves noted “the number of children who are sexually abused in familial or other circumstances far exceeds those who are abused in an institution.”² A significant number of children are sexually abused by someone they know and trust, such as a family member, family friend or an adult in a position of power or authority, such as a teacher or sports coach.

So, the facts are – this is happening now; it is not only historical.

While there has been some decline in the number of adults perpetrating child sexual abuse, there remains too many adults choosing to violate and abuse children in this way. In a recent study, Salter et al (2023) found that 5.7% of Australian men would have sexual contact with a child between 12 to 14 years if no one would find out; 4.6% would have sexual contact with a child between 10 to 12 years if no one would find out; and 4.0% would have sexual contact with a child younger than 10 years if no one would find out. (p. 12).³ The report also “validated the observations of countless survivors that the men who abused them are well respected members of the community who enjoy high esteem and the confidence of those around them.” (p. 36).

There is an emerging picture that general awareness and understanding of child sexual abuse is increasing in Australia. Nonetheless, some unhelpful societal attitudes (e.g. victim-blaming, discrediting children’s accounts) persist, which perpetuate feelings of shame and stigma for victims and survivors. Unhelpful attitudes and responses also mean victims and survivors are less likely to disclose their abuse and seek support. There remains a need to enhance the community’s ability to identify risks related to child sexual abuse and instil confidence to provide support and intervene appropriately and effectively to protect children. This is vital given sexual violence and child sexual abuse occurs across all demographics in Australia, with significant, wide ranging and long-lasting impacts on emotional and physical wellbeing.

“It is time for a whole of community movement to stop child sexual abuse before it starts.”

So, not only is it still happening across the community, child sexual abuse is being perpetrated by adults who know it is a crime. There are indicators that as a community we turn away from the possibility, from allowing ourselves to know it is happening and then subsequently from acting to protect children. Parents regularly say they are confident their children would tell them if they were uncomfortable or feeling unsafe. However, we know that often children won’t tell their parents about bullying or other issues within their lives, and we know that they don’t tell about child sexual abuse either. The Royal Commission found that, on average, it took more than 20 years for individuals to disclose child sexual abuse. We also know that adults who perpetrate sexual abuse use silencing strategies with children to prevent them from telling safe adults – it’s called ‘grooming’.

At the heart of the issue is children’s rights to be safe. At the National Centre, we take the view that the general invisibility of children and their structural disempowerment within our community is a key silencing mechanism. Children who know they have a right to be heard are more likely to speak up when they feel unsafe or vulnerable.

There are layers of sustained effort needed to prevent child sexual abuse.

Preventing child sexual abuse is everyone’s business, not just those who work in child and youth-servicing organisations/services. Those working with children know how important it is to create a safe relationship within which to listen to and believe them – and to make them safe. Those working with adults who are struggling need to ask about and hear the inner child and respond to their trauma.

It is complex and there are multiple actions needed. It is time for a whole of community movement to stop child sexual abuse before it starts.

This change requires the activation of every member of community – there is no room for bystanders nor for those who turn a blind eye. As a community we need to drive urgency for change through our own actions, our systems and through our leaders.

References:

1. ACMS, 2023
2. Royal Commission Report 2017
3. Salter et al (2023) Identifying and Understanding Child Sexual Exploitation Practices and Attitudes Amongst Australian Men