Sexual and family violence against children at 'crisis point', study finds

Sexual and family violence against children at 'crisis point', study finds In short: Violence and sexual violence against children have increased sharply across Australia, research by the University of Sydney has found. The study examined Australian administrative data from 2014 to 2024, including police recorded assaults, hospitalisations, and child protection data. The lead researcher says we are at a "crisis point" and that all levels of government need to respond. Child sexual assault and family violence-related assaults against kids have surged across Australia in the past decade, according to new research by the University of Sydney. Warning: this story contains information about child abuse. The study examined rates of children's exposure to violence over the past decade, using national police-recorded victimisation, hospitalisations for assault, and child protection data. It found the rate of sexual assault against girls aged from birth to nine increased by 32 per cent, and for girls aged 10 to 17 years old by 51 per cent over the decade. For boys aged 10 to 17, there was a 60 per cent increase in sexual assault over the 10 years, including a sharp rise of 15.7 per cent a year from 2021. "We are at a crisis point,"lead author Lucy Grummitt said. "Sexual assault and family and domestic violence have increased over the decade, but what's particularly concerning is that the steepest increases were in the last three to five years." Dr Grummitt said the increases could be linked to factors such as rising income inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic, cost-of-living pressures, and changing online gender norms. The research found that during the same time where was no increase in hospitalisations for assault-related injuries to children, and no increase in substantiated child maltreatment cases through the child protection system. That divergence, researches said, raises important questions about what's driving the increases they found. "These differences … underscore the need for better data and cross-sector integration,"Dr Grummit said. "Our child maltreatment rates describe substantiated cases, meaning they've undergone an investigation by child protective services. One concern is that the declines we found reflect an issue with system capacity rather than a true decline in exposure." 'Staggering' results Child sexual exploitation expert Conrad Townson said the escalation rates over the decade were "staggering". "It really is quite alarming," he said. "It really presents some significant concerns for what we are seeing ahead of us." Mr Townson said the persistent and escalating rates of violence post-COVID is of particular concern. "Cost of living … all of those things that are going to increase stressors; we already know from a sexual violence perspective there were spikes," he said. "But what we have seen since that is still an increase over time, so we can no longer just blame COVID-19." Mr Townson also said some of the increases could be explained by people being more willing and able to report abuse. 'We now need accountability for action' The researchers want federal and state governments to invest more in prevention and early detection, including by implementing the recommendations of the Rapid Review of Prevention Approaches. "We actually have good evidence on what needs to be done, and I think now it's about governments working together to achieve that," Dr Grummitt said. "I would like to see government's recognise that violence against children is a human rights issue, and because of that, it's not the responsibility of one government department — it needs a whole-of-government approach." Former national children's commissioner Anne Hollonds said now was the time for action, rather than more inquiries or reviews. "Childhood is the most powerful prevention opportunity within our reach. We need to make child safety, rights and wellbeing a national priority," she said. Centre for Excellence in Child and Family Welfare CEO Jamie Crosby said there was a "desperate and immediate" need for governments to take action. "There is much that governments can do, and that communities can get behind, if we choose to act on this data and prioritise the safety and wellbeing of our children," Mr Crosby said.