DON CHIPP FOUNDATION EVENTS
The
Don Chipp Foundation Launch
17th August 2003, Swinburne University, Melbourne
'An
agenda for ensuring the protection of children from abuse and family violence'
A
summary of the presentation by Joe Tucci
CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation
Introduction
When they realise the extent of child abuse in Australia, most people are shocked.
It remains one of Australia's most serious social problems. Child abuse has been consistently associated with youth suicide, misuse of illicit drugs and alcohol, and juvenile crime. For children and young people, experiencing abuse and violence can lead to significant emotional disturbances, physical injuries and even death.
Yet, despite an alarming increase in the number of reports of child abuse in Australia over the past decade, public awareness of this issue is, at best, extremely limited. History has shown that community outrage and government attention focuses on child abuse often only in the face of tragic stories of fatal incidences of abuse or overwhelming systems failures. As a result, efforts to address the problem are largely crisis driven, focus on high risk families and do little to address factors at the broader societal and community levels that contribute to the incidence of child abuse in Australia.
The prevention of child abuse relies firstly upon an acceptance that many factors at societal, community, family and individual levels contribute to the conditions in which children are abused and neglected in Australia. Secondly, effective prevention must involve a multidimensional strategic approach that challenges societal beliefs and attitudes about children; educates and enhances awareness of children's rights, their vulnerabilities and abilities; and, improves policy, legal and service responses to children, in general, and high risk families specifically.
This paper is a summary of the presentation given by Joe Tucci, CEO of the Australian Childhood Foundation, formerly known as Australians Against Child Abuse at the launch of the Don Chipp Foundation on August 17th, 2003 at Swinburne University in Hawthorn.
The paper provides a snapshot of the relevant issues associated with the prevention of child abuse and the protection of children from abuse and family violence. The list of issues is not exhaustive. It has been purposefully compiled to provide evidence for the need for reform. The paper concludes with a 12 point national agenda for change.
The Australian Childhood Foundation is a national children's charity which works to prevent child abuse and reduce the harm it causes children, families and the community. Correspondence about this paper can be directed to Joe Tucci by email on jtucci@childhood.org.au.
Child abuse is a growing problem in Australia
- Over
the past decade, the number of child abuse reports has almost tripled from 49
721 in 1990-91 to 137 938 in 2001-2002 (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare,
2002).
- Many
more children continue to live with abuse, unnoticed and alone.
Downstream consequences of child abuse are many
The trauma caused by child abuse can result in disruption to normative developmental progress, poor self esteem, behaviour and concentration problems, an enduring mistrust of people and relationships, learned helplessness and hopelessness. The downstream consequences of child abuse are well documented. In this section, results of recent research are detailed as examples of the consequences of child abuse for children, young people and adults.
Youth Suicide
- Abused
and neglected adolescents carry significantly greater risk factors for suicide
than the non-abused adolescents (Kaplan, Pelcovitz, Salzinger, Mandel, and Weiner,
1997).
- Homeless
youth who have been physically or sexually abused are more at risk of attempting
suicide (2 to 4 times) than non-abused homeless youth (Molnar, Shade, Kral, Booth,
and Watters, 1998).
Youth Homelessness
- Physical,
sexual and emotional abuse is reported in 30-60% of young people who experience
homelessness (National Health and Medical Research Council, 1992).
Drug and alcohol problems
- Brown's (1993)
study into the effects of sexual abuse showed 75% of females and 32% of males
attending drug and alcohol treatment services had histories of childhood sexual
abuse, whilst 71% of males and 48% of females had histories of physical abuse
in childhood.
- In
an audit of abused children and young people living in residential care in Victoria,
it was found that 37% of them were using alcohol, 15% were using heroine, 37%
were using marijuana, 7.1% were using amphetamines and 16% were chroming (Child
Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch, 2001).
Educational outcomes
- In
an audit of abused children and young people living in residential care in Victoria,
it was found that 23% had left school after completing Year 8 (Child Protection
and Juvenile Justice Branch, 2001).
Crime
- The odds of
future delinquency, adult criminality overall, and arrest for a violent crime
specifically, increased by around 40% for people abused and neglected as children
(Widom, 1992).
- It
is estimated that 80% to 85% of women in Australian prisons have been victims
of incest or other types of abuse (Austeal, 1994).
Mental illness
- In
an audit of abused children and young people living in residential care in Victoria,
it was found that 37.5% of this group had been formally diagnosed with a mental
illness (Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch, 2001). This represents
more than double the rate of mental illness in the general population of children
aged between 4 and 17 (14.1%).
- The
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission Report Into Human Rights and Mental
Illness (Burdekin, 1993) found that child abuse can substantially contribute to
the development of mental illness, behavioural and emotional disturbance.
- Mullens and Fleming (1998)
concluded a history of child sexual abuse contributes to higher rates in adult
life of depressive and anxiety symptoms, substance abuse disorders, eating disorders
and post traumatic stress disorders.
Cycle of violence
- 30%
of adults who were exposed to family violence during their childhood go onto perpetrate
domestic violence themselves (Kaufman and Zigler, 1993).
- In
an audit of abused children and young people living in residential care in Victoria,
it was found that 69% were assessed as having problems with aggressive or violent
behaviour towards others (Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch, 2001).
Physical abuse of children is the most frequently identified types of child abuse in Australia
According to the latest figures from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002), physical abuse is the type of abuse most often substantiated by statutory child protection authorities. Yet, all states other than New South Wales, have failed to introduce legislation which limits or bans the use of physical punishment against children. Types of abuse substantiated (2001-2002)
Physical Abuse 33%
Neglect 29%
Emotional Abuse 21%
Sexual Abuse 17%
Fatal child abuse in Australia is under estimated
There is no unified system that allows for the collection of data pertinent to the incidence of fatal child abuse in Australia (Goddard, Stevens and Tucci, In Press). As a result, all the following figures are an underestimate of the problem.
- Over the period
of 1991 to 2000, 291 children aged between 0-14 years died as a result of an assault
(Al-Yaman, Bryant and Sargeant, 2002).
- In
the two year period between 1998 - 2000, 83 children aged between 0-14 years died
from fatal child abuse (Al-Yaman, Bryant and Sargeant, 2002).
- The
assault death rate for boys was 1.3 times greater than the rates for girls (Al-Yaman,
Bryant and Sargeant, 2002).
- There
is wide variations in the systems of reviewing children's deaths between states.
There is a significant connection between child abuse and other forms of violence
In a recently published book, Stanley and Goddard (2002) found that for may children, abuse directed towards them is only one part of a larger picture of violence engaged in and experienced by the whole family.
- In
78% of a sample of proven cases of serious child abuse, other family members also
experienced physical assault (Stanley and Goddard, 2002).
- In
70% of a sample of proven cases of serious child abuse, the male parent was involved
in at least one criminal activity requiring investigation by the police (Stanley
and Goddard, 2002).
- For
the child protection workers attempting to protect these children, 24% had been
themselves physically assaulted, 14% had experienced attempted assault and 44%
had been threatened with physical assault (Stanley and Goddard, 2002).
The cost of child abuse in Australia is very high
- To
date, there is no national research which has identified the economic cost of
child abuse to Australia.
- Research
in South Australia found that the overall cost of child abuse and neglect in that
State alone in 1995/6 was conservatively estimated at A$345 million. This is more
than the State earned in the same period from wine export - A$318 million - or
the export of wool and sheepskins - A$239 million (Charles, 1998).
There are many problems with child protection systems in Australia
There are major concerns about elements of all state child protection systems around Australia. The following examples are illustrative only. Many more can be highlighted and are available in recent reviews in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland.
Failures to correctly identify and report cases of child abuse
- A
significant proportion of professionals in Victoria remain confused about their
obligations to report cases of child abuse under Victorian law. 19% of community
professionals were found to be wrong or uncertain about their obligations to report
cases of child abuse under Victorian law. This represents a major impediment to
the effective protection of children from abuse and neglect (Goddard, Saunders,
Stanley and Tucci, 2002).
- The
findings suggest that community professionals require significant support in their
deliberations about abuse. The majority of respondents (75%) found it complex
or difficult to determine when child abuse had occurred, and when to make a report
of child abuse to DHS (63%) (Goddard, Saunders, Stanley and Tucci, 2002).
- 17% of children were known
to have been abuse again even after they had made a report to DHS (Goddard, Saunders,
Stanley and Tucci, 2002).
- 32%
of respondents had not gone on to make a report despite having suspicions about
at least one child in the six months prior to their participation in the research
project (Goddard, Saunders, Stanley and Tucci, 2002).
There is a lack of consistent definitions of child abuse used by state governments
There is a wide disparity in the ways definitions of child abuse are used in state child protection systems. As a result, it is very difficult to identify how many children are being abused and neglected each year in Australia. For example, rates of children who were subject of substantiation in 2001-02 are detailed below. The figures are drawn from the latest report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2002).
NSW 4.8 per 1000 children
VIC 6.5 per 1000 children
QLD 8.3 per 1000 children
WA 2.4 per 1000 children
SA 5.3 per 1000 children
TAS 1.4 per 1000 children
ACT 2.7 per 1000 children
NT 5.8 per 1000 children
The lack of uniform definition of child abuse and family violence is a significant limitation for national policy makers to develop comprehensive strategies for the prevention of child abuse.
Children who are in out of home care experience further abuse
- In
a recent audit of children and young people in home based care services in Victoria,
12% of the children were reported to have been experienced physical or sexual
assault in placement (Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch, 2002).
Children who enter the child protection system experience systems abuse
- In
Victoria, there is a "revolving door" of abused children and young people who
are re-referred to DHS having been through the system at least once before (Goddard,
Saunders, Stanley and Tucci, 2002).
- In
the Community Care Policy and Funding Plan (2001 - 2002), it is reported that
"…the number of children and young people re-notified to child protection services
has risen steadily. In 1999-2000, 59 per cent of all notifications were children
and young people that had previously been notified…(p. 12, Community Care Division,
2001)".
- It has
been found that 81% of children and young people in residential care settings
in Victoria were the subject of at least 2 notifications (Child Protection and
Juvenile Justice Branch, 2001).
- Up
to 20% of cases were closed despite the existence of circumstances warranting
further investigation (Auditor General of Victoria, 1996; Davies, 2001).
- The number of abused children
in Victoria who died while in protective care increased by 40% in 2000 (Davies,
2001).
- In South
Australia in 2001-2002, 12% of notifications were about children who had been
notified 10 - 30 time previously (Layton, 2003).
Prosecution rates for perpetrators of physical and sexual abuse of children are very low
- In Victoria,
only 14% of penetrative offences other than rape involving children/young people
that are reported to and recorded by police ultimately proceed to prosecution
(Victorian Law Reform Commission Interim Report on Sexual Offences, 2003).
- Adult pedophiles will have
committed an average of 56 offences against children before being charged for
the first time (Woods Royal Commission, 1997).
Child abuse remains an invisible community problem
Very little research has been undertaken to understand current community attitudes towards child abuse and neglect in Australia. As such, Australian Childhood Foundation commissioned Quantum Market Research to undertake a comprehensive attitudinal survey of the Victorian public in relation to child abuse. Representative samples of 301 adults aged 18 and over were interviewed by phone in May 2000 and October 2000. These findings are drawn from the results published in a report by Tucci, Mitchell and Goddard (2001).
Child abuse rates last on a list of community concerns
- Child abuse was rated 15th on a list of community concerns.
- Child abuse was rated after problems with roads and footpaths as a community concern.
- 54% of Victorians
and Tasmanians could not recall any media reporting about child abuse in the past
six months
Public confusion about the extent of child abuse in Australia is high
Public awareness and understanding about detailed aspects of the child abuse issue remain, at best, fragmented. A staggering 59% of the respondents were unable to provide an estimate of the size of the child abuse problem in Australia at all. Twenty nine percent dramatically underestimated the number of cases of child abuse reported each year in Australia by more than 90 000. Only 12 out of 301 respondents were able to correctly identify the number of cases of child abuse reported each year.
Summary of community understanding of annual child abuse reports in Australia Only 4% of respondents were able to correctly identify the number of new cases of child abuse reported each year in Australia. 59% of respondents were completely unable to estimate how many children were reported abused or neglected in Australia each year. 28% of respondents dramatically underestimated (by more than 90%) the number of cases of child abuse reported each year in Australia.
Social and financial costs of child abuse are not visible to the public eye
The short and long term consequences of child abuse are not understood by the Australian public. Community awareness about the links between child abuse and a range of significant and costly social problems such as substance abuse, youth suicide, relationship problems and homelessness is sadly absent.
73% of respondents judged 'drugs' and 'unemployment' to be the issues of greatest financial cost to the community, followed closely by 'health' (61%) and the 'road toll' (59%). Child abuse was not identified as a community concern causing significant financial cost to the community. Identified by only 33% of respondents, child abuse was judged the least costly social problem.
Child abuse is not recognised as a serious social problem by the Australian community
Respondents recognise that the extent of the problem is not properly understood by the community. Few respondents believe they understand the extent and nature of child abuse in Australia (21%). More than 70% of respondents supported the need for the Australian public to be better informed about the child abuse problem.
Conclusion
Unlike many other social problems, the torment and harm caused to tens of thousands of Australian children each year occurs behind closed doors, away from the public gaze. The visible face of child abuse is often only evident with the media portrayal of battered children like Daniel Valerio, children the community tragically failed. Adults feel uncomfortable with the idea that some among them hurt children. It is partly this personal conflict that results in their denial of the problem. This denial often silences children's attempts to speak up about their experiences. Children actually deserve the opposite from the community. Child abuse as a social problem must become far more visible.
In summary, it is clear that child abuse is a marginalised social problem that nonetheless underpins many health and social problems in adulthood. Until the value of children is recognised by our community and the issue of child abuse treated as a mainstream community problem, the impact of abuse and neglect will continue to be felt at every level of society both in the short and long term.
It is abundantly evident that more resources must be invested into researching the causes and consequences of child abuse. Only an informed set of strategies will be able to make any positive and long lasting impact on the increasing problem of child abuse in Australia.
Finally, a commitment to the prevention of child abuse and neglect is urgently required in order to address the immediate safety and well-being of our community's children and also reduce the prevalence and cost of a range of pressing downstream social issues.
The following 12 point national agenda for change represents an important set of action steps in building a more effective system of protection for children who have experienced or are at risk of experiencing abuse and family violence.
A National Agenda for Change
1. The Federal Government should develop and implement a national child abuse prevention strategy.
2. State and Federal Governments should make an explicit commitment to the entitlements of children to care, nurture, education and security.
3. State and Federal Governments should commit themselves to resourcing community education campaigns that tackle child abuse specifically.
4. All State Governments should introduce legislation which removes the common law defense of lawful correction for parents to encourage a clear standard about non violent disciplinary strategies.
5. The effective prevention of child abuse requires changes in community attitudes about the importance and significance of children. As a result, the Federal Government should:
- establish a National Children's Commissioner; and
- resource
research that establishes and promotes the legitimacy of children's views on issues.
6. The Federal Government should introduce measures which make state child protection systems accountable for the quality of protective, care and therapeutic services offered to abused children.
7. State and Federal Governments should urgently co-operate to develop and implement uniform national definitions of child abuse and child protection legislation.
8. State and Federal Governments should develop and implement national standards for children and young people in out of home care.
9. The Federal Government should establish and fund a national research agenda about child abuse.
10. State and Federal Governments should ensure that all abused and neglected children have access to specialised and support services.
11. Corporate Australia should support efforts to tackle the problem of child abuse.
12. State and Federal Governments should make significant investment of funds in early intervention programs that strengthen the developmental capacity of children.
References
Al-Yaman, F., Bryant, M. and Sargeant, H. (2002). Australia's Children - Their Health and Wellbeing 2002. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra.
Auditor-General of Victoria. (1996). Protecting Victoria's Children: The role of the Department of Human Services. Melbourne, Victorian Government Printers.
Austeal, P. (1994). Don't talk, don't trust, don't feel. Alternative Law Journal. 19(2).
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2002). Child Protection Australia 2000-2001, AIHW, Canberra.
Brown, H. (1993). Shadows and Whispers: Sexual abuse and social problems among young people, YACVic, Melbourne.
Burdekin, B. (1993). Human Rights and Mental Illness, Report of the National Inquiry into Human Rights if People with a Mental Illness, Vol 2, AGPS, Canberra.
Charles, C. (1998). Editorial. Home Front. Adelaide: Department of Human Services.
Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch. (May, 2001). Findings of the Audit of Children and Young People in Residential Care. Community Care Division, Department of Human Services, Melbourne.
Child Protection and Juvenile Justice Branch. (2002). The Audit of Children and Young People in Home Based Care Services. Community Care Division, Department of Human Services, Melbourne.
Community Care Division. (August, 2001). Community Care, Policy and Funding Plan, 2001-2002. Victorian Government Printers, Melbourne.
Davies, J. (2001). Abused child deaths up 40%. The Age, 15/6/01.
Goddard, C., Saunders, B., Stanley, J. and Tucci, J. (2002). A State Of Confusion: Factors Which Affect The Decision To Report Cases Of Child Abuse By Community Professionals. Australians Against Child Abuse and the Child Abuse and Family Violence Research Unit, Monash University, Melbourne.
Goddard, C., Steven, K. and Tucci, J. (In press). A National Analysis Of Child Death Review Systems In Australia. Australians Against Child Abuse and the Child Abuse and Family Violence Research Unit, Monash University, Melbourne.
Kaplan, S., Pelcovitz, D., Salzinger, S., Mandel, F. & Weiner, M. (1997). Adolescent physical abuse and suicide attempts. Journal of the Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 36(6)
Kaufman, J. and Zigler, E. (1993). The intergenerational transmission of abuse is overstated. In R. Gelles and D. Loseke (eds). Current controversies on family violence. Sage: Newbury Park, California.
Layton, R. (2003). Our Best Investment - A state plan to protect and advance the interests of children. Government of South Australia, Adelaide.
Molnar, B., Shade, S., Kral, A., Booth, R. & Watters, J. (1998). Suicidal behaviour and sexual/physical abuse among street youth. Child Abuse and Neglect. 22(3).
Mullens, P. & Fleming, J. (1998). Long Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse, Issues Paper No.9, National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Melbourne.
National Health and Medical Research Council (1992). Health Needs of Homeless Youth. Australian Government Printers. Canberra.
Stanley, J. and Goddard, C.R. (2002). In the Firing Line - Violence and Power in Child Protection Work. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester.
Tucci, J., Goddard, C., Mitchell, J. (2001) More Action - Less Talk: Community Responses to Child Abuse Prevention, Australians Against Child Abuse, Melbourne.
Victorian Law Reform Commission. (2003). Interim Report: Sexual Offences. Victorian Law Reform Commission, Melbourne.
Widom, C. (1992). 'The cycle of violence', Child Protection Seminar Series No. 5, NSW Child Protection Council, Sydney.
Woods Royal Commission. (1997). Final Report on the Paedophile Inquiry. Volume 4.