Content updates
This page was updated on 29 June 2026. To view changes, please see page updates
Anderson et al.
Anderson, P. Bamblett, M. Bessarab, D. Bromfield, L. Chan, S. Maddock, G. Menzies, K. O’Connell, M. Pearson, G. Walker, R. and Wright, M. 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and child sexual abuse in institutional settings, Report for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Retrieved from https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2017-07/apo-nid98086.pdf accessed December 2025.
Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation
Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE), (no date), Homepage. Retrieved from: https://www.accce.gov.au/ accessed November 2025.
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2026, Metadata Online Registry: Child protection notification purpose. Retrieved from: https://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/741768, accessed February 2026.
Azzopardi et al.
Azzopardi, C Eirich R, Rash, CL MacDonald, S and Madigan S 2019, A meta-analysis of the prevalence of child sexual abuse disclosure in forensic settings, Child Abuse & Neglect.
Beckett et al.
Beckett, H Holmes, D and Walker, J 2017, Child sexual exploitation: Definition and guide for professionals, University of Bedfordshire.
Beech et al.
Beech, AR Parrett, N Ward, T and Fisher, D 2009, Assessing female sex offenders’ motivations and cognitions: An exploratory study, Psychology, Crime & Law.
Bourke and Hernandez
Bourke, ML and Hernandez, A E 2009, The “Butner Study” redux: A report of the incidence of hands-on child victimization by child pornography offender, Journal of Family Violence.
Chaffin et al.
Chaffin, M Berliner, L Block, R Johnson, TC Friedrich, W N Louis, DG Lyon, TD Page, I J Prescott, DS Silovsky, J.F and Madden, C 2008, Report of the ATSA task force on children with sexual behavior problems, Child Maltreatment.
Cunningham
Cunningham, KC 2020, Shame and guilt in PTSD, Emotion in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Academic Press.
Dassylva et al.
Dassylva, O Amédée LM Paradis, A and Hébert, M 2025, Coping patterns among sexually abused children: A latent profile analysis, Children and Youth Services.
Department of Health and Human Services
Department of Health and Human Services 2017, Child Sexual Exploitation: A child protection guide for assessing, preventing and responding, State of Victoria.
Department of Human Services
Department of Human Services 2012, Children with problem sexual behaviours and their families: Best interests case practice model (Specialist Practice Resource). Retrieved from https://www.cpmanual.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/Children%20problem%20sexual%20behaviours%20specialist%20practice%20resource%202012%203013%20.pdf accessed November 2025.
Eldridge et al.
Eldridge, HJ. Elliott, IA. Gillespie, SM. Bailey, A. and Beech, AR. 2018, Assessing women who sexually abuse children, Violent and Sexual Offenders: Assessment, Treatment and Management, Taylor & Francis Group.
Evolve Therapeutic Services
Evolve Therapeutic Services, 2023, Murky Waters: Harmful sexual behaviours displayed by children and young people. Queensland Health. Retrieved from: https://www.health.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0047/999929/Murky-Waters-Overview-Posters.pdf accessed January 2026.
Finkelhor
Finkelhor, D 1984, Child sexual abuse. New York: Free Press.
Flaticon
Flaticon attribution: designed by gravisio, RanuKumbolo.lab, molmedia, Parzival 1997, Uniconlabs, Leremy, Sudowood, Freepik.
Fontes and Plummer
Fontes, LA and Plummer C 2010, Cultural issues in disclosures of child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. Sep;19(5):491-518.
Goodman-Delahunty et al.
Goodman-Delahunty, J Nolan, MA and Van Gijn-Grosvenor, E L 2017, Empirical guidance on the effects of child sexual abuse on memory and complainants’ evidence. Report for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Government of Western Australia
Government of Western Australia, 2022, Framework for Understanding and Guiding Responses to Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Retrieved from: https://www.wa.gov.au/system/files/2022-07/Framework-Understanding-Guiding-Harmful-Sexual-Behaviours.pdf, accessed January 2026.
Hackett
Hackett, S 2014, Children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours: Research Review. Dartington: Research in Practice. Retrieved from https://tce.researchinpractice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/children_and_young_people_with_harmful_sexual_behaviours_research_review_2014.pdf accessed February 2026.
Haslam et al.
Haslam, D Mathews, B Pacella, R Scott, JG Finkelhor, D Higgins, DJ Meinck, F Erskine, HE Thomas, HJ Lawrence, D and Malacova E 2023, The prevalence and impact of child maltreatment in Australia: Findings from the Australian child maltreatment study: brief report, Australian Child Maltreatment Study, Queensland University of Technology. Retrieved from https://www.acms.au/resources/the-prevalence-and-impact-of-child-maltreatment-in-australia-findings-from-acms-2023-brief-report%2F accessed June 2026.
Hawkins et al.
Hawkins L, Fook J, Ryan M, 2001, Social workers’ use of the language of social justice. British Journal of Social Work, 31(1):1–13.
Higgins et al. (a)
Higgins, DJ Lawrence, D Haslam, DM Mathews, B Malacova, E Erskine, HE Finkelhor, D Pacella, R Meinck, F Thomas, HJ and Scott, JG 2024, Prevalence of diverse genders and sexualities in Australia and associations with five forms of child maltreatment and multi-type maltreatment, Child Maltreatment.
Higgins et al. (b)
Higgins, DJ Mathews, B Pacella, R Scott, JG Finkelhor, D Meinck, F Erskine, HE Thomas, HJ Lawrence, DM Haslam, DM Malacova, E and Dunne MP 2023, The prevalence and nature of multi-type child maltreatment in Australia, The Medical Journal of Australia.
Humphreys
Humphreys, C 1992, Disclosure of child sexual assault: Implications for mothers, Australian Social Work.
Hunt et al.
Hunt, G Mathews, B Higgins, D Finkelhor, D Willis, M Haslam, D Lawrence, D Meinck, F Thomas, H Malacova, E Pacella, R and Scott, J 2024, The prevalence of child sexual abuse perpetrated by leaders or other adults in religious organizations in Australia, Child Abuse & Neglect.
Jeglic et al.
Jeglic, E Winters, GM and Johnson BN 2023, Identification of red flag child sexual grooming behaviours, Child Abuse and Neglect.
Jenkins
Jenkins, S 2003, Are children protected in the family court? A perspective from Western Australia, The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy.
LaTreill
LaTreill, J 2020, Bridging the Gap: Understanding non-offending parental responses to their children's sexual abuse, National Louis University.
Lloyd
Lloyd, S 2019, She doesn’t have to get in the car … ’: Exploring social workers’ understandings of sexually exploited girls as agents and choice-makers, Children's Geographies.
Laird et al.
Laird, J Klettke, B Hall, K and Hallford, D 2022, Toward a Global Definition and Understanding of Child Sexual Exploitation: The Development of a Conceptual Model. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse.
Manay and Collin-Vezina
Manay, N and Collin-Vézina, D 2021, Recipients of children’s and adolescents’ disclosures of childhood sexual abuse: A systematic review 2021, Child Abuse & Neglect.
Marson
Marson, K 2020, A child’s right to (all kinds of) information, Institute of Child Protection Studies. Australian Catholic University.
Marziano et al.
Marziano, V Ward, T Beech AR and Pattison, P 2006, Identification of five fundamental implicit theories underlying cognitive distortions in child abusers: A preliminary study, Psychology, Crime & Law.
Mathews et al. (a)
Mathews, B Pacella, R Scott, JG Finkelhor, D Meinck, F Higgins, DJ Erskine, HE Thomas, HJ Lawrence, DM Haslam, DM Malacova, E and Dunne, MP 2023, The prevalence of child maltreatment in Australia: findings from a national survey, The Medical Journal of Australia.
Mathews et al. (b)
Mathews, B Finkelhor, D Collin-Vézina, D Malacova, E Thomas, HJ Scott, JG Higgins, DJ Meinck, F Pacella, R Erskine, HE Haslam, DM and Lawrence, D 2025, Disclosure and non-disclosure of childhood sexual abuse in Australia: Results from a national survey, Child Abuse and Neglect.
Mathews et al. (c)
Mathews, B Finkelhor, D Pacella, R Scott, JG Higgins, D J Meinck, F Erskine, H. E Thomas, HJ Lawrence, D Malacova, E Haslam, DM and Collin-Vézina, D 2024, Child sexual abuse by different classes and types of perpetrator: Prevalence and trends from an Australian national survey, Child Abuse and Neglect.
Mathews and Collins
Matthews, B and Collin-Ve´zina, D 2019, Child sexual abuse: Toward a conceptual model and definition, Trauma, Violence and Abuse. Trauma Violence Abuse. 2019 Apr;20(2):131-148. doi: 10.1177/1524838017738726. Epub 2017 Nov 2. PMID: 29333990; PMCID: PMC6429628.
McKibbon
McKibbin, G 2017, Preventing harmful sexual behaviour and child sexual exploitation for children & young people living in residential care: A scoping review in the Australian context, Children and Youth Services Review.
McKibbon et al.
McKibbin, G Green, J Humphreys, C and Tyler, M 2023, Pathways to onset of harmful sexual behavior, Victims & Offenders, 19, 739-777.
Milchman
Milchman, MS 2017, Misogynistic cultural argument in parental alienation versus child sexual abuse cases, Journal of Child Custody.
Moore et al.
Moore, T McArthur, M Death, J Roche, S and Tilbury, C 2016, Safe and sound: Exploring the safety of young people in residential care, Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
National Office for Child Safety
National Office for Child Safety, 2025, Grooming. Retrieved from: https://www.childsafety.gov.au/about-child-sexual-abuse/grooming accessed November 2025.
Nicol et al.
Nicol, SJ Ogilvie, J Kebbellc, MR Harrisa, DA and Phelan, A 2022, Dodging justice: Characteristics of men with multiple victims who evade detection for long periods Journal of Sexual Aggression.
Pratt et al.
Pratt, R Miller, R and Boyd, C 2012, Adolescents with problem sexual behaviours and their families, Victorian Department of Human Services.
O’Brien
O'Brien, W 2008, Problem sexual behaviour in children: A review of the literature, Deakin University. Retrieved from https://dro.deakin.edu.au/articles/report/Problem_sexual_behaviour_in_children_a_review_of_the_literature/20936308?file=37215634 accessed February 2026.
Ochoa and Constantin
Ochoa, MK and Constantin, K 2023, Impacts of child sexual abuse: The mediating role of future orientation on academic outcomes, Child Abuse & Neglect.
Quadara et al. (a)
Quadara, A Nagy, V Higgins, D and Siegel, N 2015, Conceptualising the prevention of child sexual abuse: Final report, Australian Institute of Family Studies.
Quadara et al. (b)
Quadara, A O’Brien, W Ball, O Douglas, W and Vu, L 2020, Good practice in delivering and evaluating interventions for young people with harmful sexual behaviours, ANROWS.
Raising Children Network
Raising Children Network, no date, Child sexual abuse: Help and support for children. Retrieved from: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/safety/child-sexual-abuse/child-sexual-abuse-help-and-support-for-children, accessed January 2026.
Rich
Rich, P 2009 Juvenile sexual offenders: A comprehensive guide to risk evaluation, John Wiley & Sons Inc. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2009-01404-000 accessed February 2026.
Righthand
Righthand, S and Welch, C 2004, Characteristics of youth who sexually offend, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse.
Rosie’s Place
Rosie’s Place Inc, 2023, Resources: 5 factsheets for parents. Retrieved from: https://www.rosiesplace.org.au/resources accessed January 2026.
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, 2017, Final report. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved from, www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/final-report, accessed January 2026.
Steedman et al.
Steedman, LA Jeglic, EL and Winters, GM. 2023, Examining Parental Abilities to Recognize Sexual Grooming Behaviors of Child Sexual Abusers, Journal of Child and Adolescent Trauma.
Salter et al.
Salter, M Woodlock, D Whitten, T Tyler, M Naldrett, G Breckenridge, J Nolan, J and Peleg, N 2023, Identifying and understanding child sexual offending behaviours and attitudes among Australian men, University of New South Wales.
Sanderson
Sanderson, C 2004, The seduction of children: Empowering parents and teachers to protect children from child sexual abuse, Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Seto, Hanson and Babchishin
Seto MC, Hanson RK, and Babchishin KM 2011, Contact sexual offending by men with online sexual offenses, Sex Abuse.
Scurich and Gongola
Scurich, N and Gongola, J 2021, Presence of polymorphism (cross over) among sexual offenders, Journal of Criminal Justice.
Smallbone and Cale
Smallbone, S and Cale, J 2015, An integrated life-course developmental theory of sexual offending, in Sex offenders: A criminal career approach, Wiley Blackwell.
Staiger et al.
Staiger, P Kambouropoulos, N Evertsz, J Mitchell, J and Tucci, J 2005, A preliminary evaluation of the Transformers Program for children who engage in problem sexual behaviour, Australian Childhood Foundation.
Sullivan et al.
Sullivan, T McAlister, M and Bricknell, S 2025, Sexual offending in Australia 2022–23, Statistical Report no. 51, Australian Institute of Criminology.
Thompson et al.
Thompson, B and Want, C 2018, Problematic and Harmful Sexual Behaviours (0-17 years) Training and Resource Needs of Children, Families and the Workforce in NSW. Rosie’s Place Inc.
Trocme and Bala
Trocmé, N and Bala, N 2005, False allegations of abuse and neglect when parents separate. Child Abuse and Neglect.
Walsh et al.
Walsh, K Mathews, B Parvin, K Smith, R Burton, M Nicholas, M Napier, S Cubitt, T Erskine, H Thomas, H. J Finkelhor, D Higgins, DJ Scott, JG Flynn, A Noll, J Malacova, E Le, H and Tran, N 2025, Prevalence and characteristics of online child sexual victimization: Findings from the Australian Child Maltreatment Study, Child Abuse and Neglect.
Warrington et al.
Warrington, C Beckett, H Allnock, D and Soares, C 2023, Children’s perspectives on family members’ needs and support after child sexual abuse, Children and Youth Services Review.
Winters et al. (a)
Winters, G. M Kaylor, LE and Jeglic, EL 2021, Toward a universal definition of child sexual grooming, Deviant Behavior.
Winters et al. (b)
M, Winters Jeglic, EL and Kaylor, LE 2020, Validation of the sexual grooming model of child sexual abusers, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse.
Winters and Leglic
Winters, GM and Jeglic, EL 2022, Sexual Grooming: Integrating Research, Practice, Prevention, and Policy, Springer.
Wortley et al.
Wortley, R Leclerc, B Reynald, DM and Smallbone, S 2019, What Deters Child Sex Offenders? A Comparison Between Completed and Noncompleted Offenses, Journal of interpersonal violence.
Yates and Allardyce
Yates, P and Allardyce, S 2021, Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Knowledge and Practice Overview, Barkingside: Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse.
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