Australian children face sharp rise in violence, sexual assault: study
Summary
A study in Australia has found sharp rises in sexual assault and family violence-related assaults involving children between 2014 and 2024, with increases accelerating in recent years. Researchers urged greater investment in prevention and early intervention, warning that falling substantiated child maltreatment cases may reflect limited agency capacity rather than less abuse.
Key Points
- Sexual assault rates rose sharply among Australian children aged 10-17 from 2014 to 2024, including a 51% increase for girls and 60% for boys.
- Family violence-related assault rates also increased from around 2020 across both boys and girls.
- Researchers cited income inequality, the COVID-19 pandemic, cost-of-living pressures, online gender norms and service gaps as possible factors.
- The study found no significant change in assault-related hospitalizations or substantiated child maltreatment cases, but warned that reporting limits may mask the true scale of abuse.
