Dean Lewins/AAP

Child sexual abuse is common in Australia. The best evidence of this comes from the 2023 Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), which surveyed 8,500 Australians aged 16 and over. The ACMS found 28.5% of the national population has experienced sexual abuse before age 18 by any person (adult or adolescent). Women were twice as likely as men to have experienced sexual abuse (37.3%-18.8%). Among 16-to-24-year-olds, prevalence was slightly lower (25.7%), but again with a massive gender disparity (35.2%-14.5%).

Reducing child sexual abuse is a major challenge for public health and gender equality. Its health outcomes depend on many factors, including the identity of the perpetrator and the nature of the abuse. This means not everyone who experiences child sexual abuse has the same outcomes.

However, the abuse is often devastating and uniquely traumatic throughout life. It is strongly associated with mental disorders (for example, major depressive disorder) and health risk behaviours (such as self-harm and suicide).

Despite all the attention given to the issue, there has not been high-quality research on who the main perpetrators are, their relationship to the victim, and whether strategies put in place to end such abuse have been effective. Our latest research offers the best evidence to date of important trends.

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Who inflicts child sexual abuse?​

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Our analysis identified four different types of adult who inflict child sexual abuse:

1. parents or adult family members​
2. institutional adult caregivers such as teachers​
3. other known adults​
4. unknown adults.​

We also identified four classes of perpetrators aged under 18:

1. siblings​
2. known adolescents (not in romantic relationships)​
3. known adolescents (in romantic relationships)​
4. unknown adolescents.​

This is important because while it is well understood that adults inflict child sexual abuse, discussions about its prevention often overlook that it is often inflicted by people aged under 18, and do not consider perpetration by specific groups.

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Child sexual abuse by adults​

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Child sexual abuse by adults has always been and remains a major problem. The ACMS found a devastating 18.5% of all Australians aged 16 and over had experienced child sexual abuse by an adult.

Nearly 12% of Australians aged 16-24 have experienced child sexual abuse by an adult. The vast majority of adult perpetrators are known to the child. This continued prevalence today is deeply concerning and demands we renew our efforts to reduce it.

However, child sexual abuse by adults has declined, especially by parents/adult family members and institutional adults. This is likely the result of increased awareness and parental supervision, school-based prevention programs, and laws and policies regulating institutions. This is an immense achievement, and we must intensify our efforts to reduce sexual abuse of children by adults.

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Child sexual abuse by adolescents​

Worryingly, child sexual abuse by adolescents aged under 18 has increased in recent years. The ACMS found 18.2% of Australians aged 16-24 (nearly 1 in 5) experienced sexual abuse by an adolescent before age 18. The majority is inflicted against girls by:

1. male adolescents the victim knew, and who were not their current or former boyfriend​
2. current or former boyfriends.​

Increased adolescent perpetration reflects a culture that lacks understanding of respectful relationships and consent. These conditions have driven major initiatives such as Teach Us Consent and have galvanised other new approaches to reduce teen sexual violence.

This increase may also be influenced by perceived pressure to have sexual experiences, media representations of gender norms, lower parental supervision (especially at occasions involving alcohol) and access to violent pornography online.

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From evidence to opportunity​

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It is horrifying to learn of continued adult-perpetrated child sexual abuse and increased teen-on-teen sexual violence. But this evidence provides an opportunity for those involved in its prevention and the community to reduce sexual violence in the next generation.

Prevention efforts directed towards teens have great preventive potential. Much child sexual abuse by teens is influenced by lack of empathy, a desire for immediate sexual gratification, and male sexual entitlement. This is obviously not to demonise all young adolescent males, as the data indicate most do not inflict sexual violence.

However, increased child sexual abuse perpetration by males in this age group highlights a contemporary normalisation of sexual violence. This shows there is still a long way to go in teaching young people about respectful relationships.

The rate of adolescents sexually abusing children is increasing, according to the latest research. Shutterstock

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What more can be done?​

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Parents are integral in reducing child sexual abuse. Educating children about their bodies, healthy relationships, consent, sex, empathy and gender equality instils key prosocial attributes required to reduce sexual violence.

Governments also play a huge role in implementing preventive public health approaches. Recent progress by Australian government agencies, program efforts and policy frameworks are extremely encouraging. Their continuance will embed prevention in the long term.

School-based sexual abuse prevention programs have been shown to increase children’s protective behaviours and knowledge. Emerging scientific consensus indicates age-appropriate sexuality education from early childhood through secondary school builds social and emotional skills that minimise the likelihood of perpetration.

In a landmark advance, the Australian government recently committed to mandating consent education in the National Curriculum.

This is a promising response to the outpouring of testimony by Australian teenagers on Teach Us Consent. Effective implementation of this policy, and mature engagement in this conversation by parents and wider society, will be pivotal to reducing child sexual abuse. This is particularly necessary given the constant battle between positive healthy relationships education and the media consumed by teens in TV, movies, social media and pornography that promote problematic attitudes to gender and sexuality.

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Shaping our future​

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As a society, it is time to further prioritise the prevention of sexual violence, and instil in boys and young men the knowledge, dispositions and skills required for healthy sexual development. We must change the still too-common sense of entitlement to girls’ and women’s bodies. Instead, we must help boys and men develop more empathy and respect for girls and women.

Prioritising prevention and building sexual and emotional literacy is our best chance of reversing the recent trend in adolescent-perpetrated child sexual abuse and sustaining reductions in adult-perpetrated abuse.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by , Ben Mathews, Professor, School of Law, Queensland University of Technology, Chanel Contos, Chair of Global Youth Commitee for Global Institute for Women's Leadership, Australian National University

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[Jest]

what is wrong with society? I am 84 and I do not recall one incident of abuse throughout my childhood or my working life. OK, I got a few spanks but that was when needed. Maybe that should occur more often nowadays. This planet will be run by drugged brainless fools in the near future, if not already. Look at the USA. Almost every accident is through mindless idiots. I get so angry.

 

[natalielocket]

At least now the need for Parents to educate their children is out there and also some schools also do some education on Sexual Abuse. But unfortunately years ago it wasn`t talked about. Lets face it, Girls were only told about what happened when one`s Period was just about due. My Sisters and I were abused by a neighbor. We didn`t feel comfortable but we didn`t know what was happening. It wasn`t until years later when my Daughter told me what happened to her by a `Family Friend`, so called. I believed her, and when I told one of my Sisters, and said it happened to me, she said `Yes, me too` We both said the same name at the same time. He`s now dead, but when he came to our Mother`s Funeral, and came up to us, we just stared at him, and would not hold out our hand. He knew then that we knew what he was. He also abused his oldest Daughter. She hasn`t said anything, but we sort of know, as she or her Husband never let their Girls stay with her Parents unless she and her Husband were there.

 

[Ezzy]

My eldest daughter was also a victim of our 62 year old neighbour & we knew nothing about this until we were contacted by the school Chaplain. Our daughter had been prompted to say something following an episode of A COUNTRY PRACTICE. This occurred while his wife was at work @ a hospital during the day.

When questioned about this the Police admitted they made a mistake of interviewing him with his wife present. He denied the complaints & ultimately was not charged. We had moved by that time.

My daughter had a few sessions of counselling at the time but did not continue this. (She does not date & @ 50 years of age still lives at home).

Some years later while spending time in the afternoon @ Church we walked around to the Deli. Rounding the corner the ex-neighbour & his wife were waiting for a bus. I managed to restrain myself as we walked past the man who ruined my daughter's life without saying a word.

Why do some men stoop to these lows? My daughter was approx the age of his grandchildren.