Understanding child sexual abuse
Preventing child sexual abuse by understanding perpetrators’ motivations
Kelly Richards
Queensland University of Technology, School of Justice
Queensland University of Technology, School of Justice
Active Research
Children and Young People’s Safety Project
- Prevention of child sexual abuse
- Identification of child sexual abuse
- Response to child sexual abuse
- Understanding child sexual abuse
Research Topic areas
- Community awareness
- Drivers of child sexual abuse
- Government & policy responses
- Institutional abuse
Project Duration
Geographical Scope
Nation-wide
Populations
Victims and survivorsGeneral community
Children (6-12 years)Adolescents (13-17 years)Young adults (18-25 years)
Gender
All genders
Project Lead
Professor Daryl Higgins, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University
Douglas Russell, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University
Project lead email: daryl.higgins@acu.edu.au
Project Team
Background
Children and young people are at risk of sexual abuse within schools, residential care units, sporting teams, holiday camps and other youth-serving organisations. This was highlighted by the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (2013-17).
ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies (with partners from Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University) completed a series of studies from 2015 to 2017 to explore children’s experiences of safety within organisations. The studies also gauged their perceptions of the way that adults and institutions were acting to keep them safe and respond when they were harmed.
ACU Institute of Child Protection Studies (with partners from Queensland University of Technology and Griffith University) completed a series of studies from 2015 to 2017 to explore children’s experiences of safety within organisations. The studies also gauged their perceptions of the way that adults and institutions were acting to keep them safe and respond when they were harmed.
Aims
Children’s Safety Study: The Institute has incorporated the Australian Safe Kids and Young People Survey into the Children’s Safety Survey which investigates children and young people’s wellbeing, as well as their perceptions of safety within a particular participating organisation.
Safeguarding Capabilities in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Survey: This survey was created in 2017-2018. It measures the capabilities of an organisation’s workforce – staff and volunteers – to prevent and respond appropriately to child sexual abuse.
The survey is an empirical measure which youth-serving organisations can use to monitor and evaluate staff awareness of policies and child-safe culture, knowledge, confidence and attitudes. The measure can also be used by researchers around the world to collect data and support the work that organisations are doing to keep children safe.
Safeguarding Capabilities in Preventing Child Sexual Abuse Survey: This survey was created in 2017-2018. It measures the capabilities of an organisation’s workforce – staff and volunteers – to prevent and respond appropriately to child sexual abuse.
The survey is an empirical measure which youth-serving organisations can use to monitor and evaluate staff awareness of policies and child-safe culture, knowledge, confidence and attitudes. The measure can also be used by researchers around the world to collect data and support the work that organisations are doing to keep children safe.
Methods
Empirical data collected online from participating youth-serving organisations in Australia.
Significance and Dissemination
Understanding safeguarding from the perspective of children and the workforce gives organisations insights that can inform the way to a safer child-safe environment.
Further Details
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Australian Human Research Ethics Committee:
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee
This project is subject to ethical oversight by the Australian Catholic University Human Research Ethics Committee
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