Media coverage: Alleged DV victim labelled ‘difficult witness’, family court permanently removes children

By the Specialist Reporting Team's Heidi Davoren, with Adelaide Miller

MEDIA COVERAGE

17 July 2026

What happens when children disclose child sexual abuse, but the Family Court isn’t designed to deal with this?

In new National Centre-funded research, Dr Morag MacSween argues that the Family Court was never designed to determine whether child sexual abuse has occurred, despite making decisions that can shape a child’s future. The best interests of the child are only served in being able to truly hear them.

In this ABC News article, Morag discusses why improving the Court’s understanding of perpetrator tactics, grooming and the dynamics of child sexual abuse is essential to better protect children.

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Read the research

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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

Understanding child sexual abuse

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

Best practice for parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention education in early childhood
Read More
Understanding best practice and the role of professionals in preventing child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviours
Read More
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
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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
Australian Child Maltreatment Study
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

Best practice for parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention education in early childhood
Read More
Understanding best practice and the role of professionals in preventing child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviours
Read More
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
Australian Child Maltreatment Study
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

Best practice for parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention education in early childhood
Read More
Understanding best practice and the role of professionals in preventing child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviours
Read More
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