Public health
Australian study finds rise in recorded violence against children
Police-recorded sexual and family violence against children rose from 2014 to 2024, while hospitalizations and substantiated maltreatment did not.
A study published in JAMA Network Open found that recorded sexual assault and family violence-related assault involving children increased in Australia from 2014 to 2024. The researchers analyzed police, hospital and child protection data. Rates of sexual violence against girls rose steadily from 2014, while rates for boys rose sharply from 2021, with more than a 50% increase in three years. Family violence-related assault increased by 8% to 20% per year from around 2020 through 2024 among boys and girls.
The study found no significant change in hospitalizations for assault-related injuries among children and no rise in substantiated child maltreatment cases. The researchers said this difference across data sources raises questions about what is driving the recorded increases. They called for greater investment in prevention and early detection, better integration of data across systems, and stronger support for child protection agencies.
