Help-seeking needs and gaps for preventing child sexual abuse

Date

2017

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Abstract

Current responses to child sexual abuse generally focus on the needs of victim/survivors of child sexual abuse. Service providers reported the concept of ‘prevention’ in this work as providing responses such as helplines, counselling, support services, face-to-face counselling and/or referrals, which may prevent any further trauma or negative impacts for the child or adult victim/survivor. Statutory services that work with offenders, such as prisons, reported that they understand prevention in a similar way, and that a key part of their work is about deterring and preventing further offending. This conception of prevention by service providers may reflect confusion as to what constitutes primary prevention which aims to prevent child sexual abuse before it occurs. Since the commencement of the Royal Commission, the community is more aware of the need to protect children from child sexual abuse in institutional contexts and from child sexual abuse more broadly. Yet there remains a lack of awareness among parents and community members about the concept and dynamics of child sexual abuse, and an under-confidence about how to recognise and respond to concerns about this abuse. For many professionals, parents and community members, there is a belief that child sexual abuse is not readily preventable. There are various primary prevention education, training and information resources available within Australia. However, access to and use of these resources is problematic for professionals, parents and community members. Currently there is no coordination of primary prevention education and training programs, nor is there any quality control for those programs currently being delivered. Research participants reported that program development and provision is unregulated and that the outcomes of these programs are under-evaluated.

Description

Keywords

child maltreatment, Australia, International Resources, prevention

Citation

Saunders, V., & McArthur, M. (2017). Help-seeking needs and gaps for preventing child sexual abuse. Sydney, Australia. Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

DOI