One in 250 Australians was sexually abused during childhood by a leader or other adult in a religious organisation, new research led by Australian Catholic University shows.
The first nationally representative figures on the prevalence of child sexual abuse by leaders or other adults in religious settings shows nearly three-quarters of the reported cases occurred in Catholic-run organisations.
The research, led by ACU’s Institute of Child Protection Studies (ICPS), reveals about 0.4 per cent of the population, or an estimated 87,000 Australians, experienced sexual abuse during childhood by leaders and other adults in religious organisations including male and female clergy, priests, and pastors.
The analysis, published in Child Abuse & Neglect, used data from the landmark Australian Child Maltreatment Study (ACMS), which surveyed 8503 Australians aged 16 and above about their experiences of maltreatment in childhood.
The new analysis found boys experienced more sexual abuse (0.8 per cent) than girls (0.1 per cent) by religious perpetrators and children were typically aged 7-11 when first abused by religious leaders or other adults.
Most people who experienced child sexual abuse by leaders or other adults said it occurred in Catholic organisations (71.9 per cent), followed by other Christian denominations including Anglican, Jehovah’s Witness, and Orthodox (21.8 per cent) and non-Christian religious organisations (5.1 per cent).
Co-author of the study Professor Daryl Higgins said while all child maltreatment was unacceptable, child sexual abuse in religious organisations represented a stark betrayal of the faith families put in such institutions.
“Child sexual abuse by religious perpetrators is a particularly heinous issue as it involves abusing positions of power, betraying children’s trust, and exploiting a tripartite power relationship driven by sexual, organisational, and religious power,” he said.
Australian Catholic Safeguarding Ltd said the research is “an important reminder of the importance of constant vigilance to ensure the level of child mistreatment and abuse in Australia is addressed”.
“The good news is that the research demonstrates the significant reduction in abuse of younger people by leaders in religious organisations since 2000,” ACSL chief executive Ursula Stephens said.
Dr Stephens said that while the harm to victims and survivors can never be undone, the Church “has learnt, and continues to learn from the grievous failures in its past and today is resolutely committed to providing safe environments for children, adults at risk and all people as its utmost priority.”
FULL STORY
Study reveals prevalence of child sexual abuse in religious settings (ACU)
ACSL response to Australian Catholic University research findings (ACBC Media Blog)
