Best practice for parent-focused child sexual abuse prevention education in early childhood
Commissioned research
Online child sexual victimisation and associated mental health outcomes
- Disclosure
- Online abuse
- Prevalence
Project Length
24 months
Project Budget
$180,395
Funding Stream
Research
Project Lead
- Professor Kerryann Walsh, Queensland University of Technology
- Professor Ben Mathews, Queensland University of Technology
Project Team
- Mariesa Nicholas, eSafety Commissioner
- Dr Melanie Burton, eSafety Commissioner
- Dr Sarah Napier, Australian Institute of Criminology
Background and Aim
The core aim of this project is to advance understanding of the nature of online sexual victimisation in childhood and, in particular, its associated mental health outcomes.
This project will extend current research to generate nuanced evidence of the nature and severity of different types of online risks to Australian children and youth. Further, this project will identify risk profiles for different types of online child sexual victimisation, such as age of onset, and relationship to offender, and the associated mental health and health risk behaviour outcomes of these different experiences.
Methods
The project extends current work in the Australian Child Maltreatment Study and analyses a dataset generated in a nationwide survey of 3,500 people aged 16-24 years.
Significance
This study will generate an understanding of the mental health outcomes associated with different experiences of different types of online child sexual victimisation. This evidence can inform a precision public health approach to improved prevention and responses.
Latest research outcomes
Research article: Prevalence and characteristics of online child sexual victimisation: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study
Examines the prevalence and characteristics of online child sexual victimisation
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Research article: Disclosure of online child sexual victimisation: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study
Investigates disclosure experiences among people who have experienced online child sexual victimisation
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Research article: Online child sexual victimisation and associated health risk behaviours and mental disorders: Findings from a national survey in Australia
Examines associations between online child sexual victimisation, health risk behaviours and mental disorders
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