Definitions, prevalence & statistics

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Definitions

Childhood sexual abuse

When a person uses power or authority over a child to involve the child in sexual activity. Child sexual abuse involves a wide range of sexual activity including fondling of the child's genitals, masturbation, oral sex, vaginal or anal penetration by a penis, finger or other object, or exposure of the child to pornography. ₂

Recent sexual assault

Can include:

Putting a penis, object or other body part (e.g. finger) in the victim's vagina or anus, or putting a penis in the victim's mouth.
Contact between the mouth and genitals.
Touching, fondling or kissing or being forced to touch the abuser.
Being made to look at, or pose for, pornographic photos/videos.
Voyeurism (i.e. the abuser watching while the victim is made to perform sexual acts).
Exhibitionism (i.e. making the victim watch while the abuser performs sexual acts).
Sexual talking, innuendo or harassment.

These behaviours are unwanted OR occurs without the victim's consent (due to disability, substance or alcohol known or unknown use) OR makes the victim feel uncomfortable or afraid.

At one end of the scale sexual assault may involve bribery or coercion, while at the other end of the scale it may involve threatened or actual injury, mutilation or death.

Prevalence

1 in 3 girls & 1 in 5 boys have been or will be victims of sexual assault by the age of 18. ₃
34% of Australian women have experienced sexual violence by the age of 16. ₄

Statistics

Three quarters of girls who are sexually abused are under 11 when it starts.
80% of women who are raped, and 89% of children who are sexually abused, know the man who violates them.
97% of sex offenders are men.
More than half of the girls and women who get raped are assaulted in their own home or the home of the rapist.
Girls are more likely than boys to be assaulted by family members.

Sponsor

SECASA