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Cited by 200Child Abuse and TraumaIntimate Partner and Family ViolenceChild Welfare and Adoption

The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey

Open access
Mathews, Ben, Pacella, Rosana, Scott, James G, Finkelhor, David, Meinck, Franziska, Higgins, Daryl J, Erskine, Holly E, Thomas, Hannah J +4 more·2023·Medical Journal of Australia
DOI 10.5694/mja2.51873PMC PMC10953347
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Abstract

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence in Australia of each type of child maltreatment; to identify gender‐ and age group‐related differences in prevalence. Design, setting: Cross‐sectional national survey; mobile telephone interviews using random digit dialling (computer‐generated), Australia, 9 April – 11 October 2021. Retrospective self‐report data using validated questionnaire (Juvenile Victimisation Questionnaire‐R2 Adapted Version (Australian Child Maltreatment Study). Participants: People aged 16 years or more. The target sample size was 8500 respondents: 3500 people aged 16–24 years and 1000 respondents each from five further age groups (25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65 years or more). Main outcome measures: Proportions of respondents reporting physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, neglect, and exposure to domestic violence to age 18 years, assessed with the Juvenile Victimization Questionnaire‐R2 Adapted Version (Australian Child Maltreatment Study), overall and by gender and age group, and weighted to reflect characteristics of the Australian population aged 16 years or more in 2016. Results: Complete survey data were available for 8503 eligible participants (14% response rate). Physical abuse was reported by 32.0% of respondents (95% confidence interval [CI], 30.7–33.3%), sexual abuse by 28.5% (95% CI, 27.3–29.8%), emotional abuse by 30.9% (95% CI, 29.7–32.2%), neglect by 8.9% (95% CI, 8.1–9.7%), and exposure to domestic violence by 39.6% (95% CI, 38.3–40.9%). The proportions of respondents who reported sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or neglect were each statistically significantly larger for women than men. The reported prevalence of physical abuse by respondents aged 16–24 years was lower than for those aged 25–34 years, and that of sexual abuse was lower than for those aged 35–44 years, suggesting recent declines in the prevalence of these maltreatment types. Conclusions: Child maltreatment is common in Australia, and larger proportions of women than men report having experienced sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect during childhood. As physical and sexual abuse may have declined recently, public health policy and practice may have positive effects, justifying continued monitoring and prevention activities.

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References 34 · Cited by 200

Research works printed but not linked: 28

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Authors
Mathews, B., Pacella, R., Scott, J. G., Finkelhor, D., Meinck, F., Higgins, D. J., Erskine, H. E., Thomas, H. J., Lawrence, D. M., Haslam, D. M., Malacova, E., & Dunne, M. P.
Affiliations
  • Johns Hopkins University (US)
  • University of Greenwich (GB)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
  • Crimes against Children Research Center University of New Hampshire Durham NH United States of America
  • University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
  • Australian Catholic University (AU)
  • QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (AU)
  • Curtin University (AU)
  • Queensland University of Technology (AU)
Corresponding author
Mathews, Ben
ORCID
Venue
Medical Journal of Australia
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2023-04-02
Volume
218
Issue
S6
Pages
S13-S18
ISSN
  • 0025-729X (ISSN-L)
  • 1326-5377
DOI
10.5694/mja2.51873
PMC
PMC10953347
OpenAlex
W4362508407
Cited by
200
References
34
Citations by year
2026: 49 · 2025: 71 · 2024: 58 · 2023: 22
FWCI
58.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • The Medical Journal of Australia (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (University of Greenwich) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Greater South Information System
Funders
  • Australian Government
  • National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1158750)
  • Australian Institute of Criminology
  • European Research Council
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
  • Social Sciences › Health › Intimate Partner and Family Violence
  • Social Sciences › Safety Research › Child Welfare and Adoption
Keywords
child abuse, prevalence of child abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, child neglect, domestic violence exposure, gender differences, age differences, Australia
MeSH terms
Australia, Child, Child Abuse, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Male, Retrospective Studies, Prevalence

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