Sexual assault of Australian children rose sharply after pandemic, study finds

The study, based on a decade of national police records, hospitalisations and child protection data, found sexual assault of girls aged up to nine rose 2.8% per year and of girls aged 10 to 17 rose 4.2% per year. Among boys aged 10 to 17, the rate rose 15.7% after an acceleration that began in 2021. Family violence-related assault followed a similar pattern: stable to modest increases before 2021, then steep increases. Assault-related hospitalisations and child maltreatment were generally stable.

The researchers said they expected rates to have fallen in line with trends in other high-income countries. Lead author Dr Lucy Grummitt said the increase could not be attributed to any one factor but showed the need for a less siloed approach.

"All these different departments that are involved in the bigger picture of violence against children are just focused on one particular subset, and we don't actually have a very clear picture of what young people are being exposed to, and how has that changed over the last decade," she said.

The authors pointed to several possible drivers, including income inequality, which they said is at its highest point in 20 years, and the end of pandemic-era support such as JobKeeper in March 2021. They also cited the expansion of misogynistic online communities and broader toxic masculinity narratives, alongside resurging traditional gender attitudes among young men. Increased reporting due to growing awareness could also partly explain the higher rates, the study found.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The findings reverse the expected trend and suggest child safety in Australia may be deteriorating just as comparable countries report improvements.
The post-2021 acceleration links the rise to economic pressures, including the end of JobKeeper and record income inequality, making this a policy issue beyond policing.
The warning about "manosphere" online cultures points to digital platforms and gender norms as an emerging focus for violence prevention.

Background

Over the past decade Australia has devoted substantial policy attention to child protection and violence prevention, including national inquiries into institutional child sexual abuse and federal plans to end violence against women and children. The study's authors expected Australian rates to mirror declines seen in other high-income countries. Instead they found the opposite, and noted that no single explanation accounts for the trend.

Key Perspectives

The researchers: They argue the rise cannot be blamed on one factor and call for less fragmented responses across health, police, child protection and education agencies. Awareness and reporting: The study acknowledges that growing public awareness and better reporting may account for part of the increase, meaning the data could overstate the true rise in violence. Critics and skeptics: Because the study is observational and based on administrative data, it cannot prove that economic stress or online misogyny caused the increase. The authors themselves describe these as plausible contributors rather than established causes.

What to Watch

Whether federal and state governments respond with a coordinated national strategy or new prevention funding.
Whether future data release show the post-2021 acceleration continuing, stabilising, or declining.
Any regulatory or policy moves targeting online misogynistic content, which the researchers flagged as a contributing factor.

Analysis

Why This Matters

Background

Key Perspectives

What to Watch

Sources