ATO urged to redesign NFP self-review changes
Posted on 30 Oct 2024
Shadow Charities Minister Senator Dean Smith has called for the federal government and the…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
By Greg Thom, journalist, Institute of Community Directors Australia
A groundbreaking report has exposed gaps in Australians’ ability to understand, identify and respond to child sexual violence.
The study by the National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse (National Centre) surveyed more than 4,000 people on issues relating to child sexual abuse.
Questions covered people’s attitudes towards, knowledge of, and responses to child sexual abuse, harmful sexual behaviours, and the needs of victims and survivors.
It is estimated that one in three girls and one in five boys in Australia have experienced some form of child sexual abuse before the age of 18.
Dr Leanne Beagley, CEO of the National Centre, said the first-of-its-kind Australian Child Sexual Abuse Attitudes, Knowledge and Response Study provided new, nationally representative data and insights to inform Australia’s efforts to prevent and respond to child sexual abuse, and to support victims.
Despite community awareness that child sexual abuse is a significant and prevalent social issue that must be addressed, the report uncovered troubling misconceptions, victim-blaming attitudes, and gaps in adults’ ability to identify risks to children’s safety.
Some adults also had limited understanding of the widespread and long-term impacts of child sexual abuse, had low confidence and low willingness to intervene, and didn’t know how to appropriately respond to child and adult victims and survivors.
Key findings of the report included:
The report found there was widespread support for prevention initiatives such as more education for parents and carers and community awareness campaigns.
“These harmful attitudes and barriers must be addressed if we are to ensure a safer and more supportive environment for all children and child sexual abuse victims and survivors.”
The study’s findings prompted calls for greater investment in programs that enable Australians to take meaningful action to protect children from sexual abuse and create an environment where children and adult survivors are believed, supported and understood.
“We must not lose momentum in addressing this complex social problem, and this data assists us in those efforts,” said the National Centre’s Dr Beagley.
The National Centre’s director of knowledge generation, research and evaluation, Professor Andrea de Silva, said the research data would provide a baseline against which to measure the effectiveness of any future initiatives to identify and respond to child sexual abuse.
“This new data shows us that while many Australians want to protect children from sexual abuse, some hold very problematic attitudes towards victims and survivors, and there are significant barriers in terms of understanding the issue, recognising risky behaviours, and knowing how to respond,” she said.
“These harmful attitudes and barriers must be addressed if we are to ensure a safer and more supportive environment for all children and child sexual abuse victims and survivors.”
Posted on 30 Oct 2024
Shadow Charities Minister Senator Dean Smith has called for the federal government and the…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
New research has revealed that while many Australians don’t consider themselves "activists" in the…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
Heartless cyber criminals are impersonating charities and offering fake financial help to…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
Charities and not-for-profits have scored a major win with confirmation that recently passed…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
A groundbreaking report has exposed gaps in Australians’ ability to understand, identify and…
Posted on 29 Oct 2024
Volunteer worker Lisa Milkvoci says Transit Soup Kitchen is much more than a food relief…
Posted on 28 Oct 2024
Australians call for our politicians to inspire us with big ideas, only to rip them to shreds if…
Posted on 23 Oct 2024
Gender bias persists in Australian newsrooms, despite gender equality's vital role in strengthening…
Posted on 22 Oct 2024
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has admitted it is on track to fall massively short of its target…
Posted on 22 Oct 2024
Ordinary Australians who go above and beyond to help others in the community and the organisations…
Posted on 21 Oct 2024
Government and the not-for-profit sector must work together to break the cycle of digital…
Posted on 21 Oct 2024
Australian Charities and Not-for-Profits Commission (ACNC) commissioner Sue Woodward will head to…