Prevention and Action on Child Sexual Abuse
National Child Protection Week ran from 6 to 12 September 2026. This year’s theme, “Every Conversation Matters, Shifting Conversation to Action”, aimed to spark meaningful conversation that could lead to change through practical action.
A call for conversation and practical action could not come at a better time.
Research and media reports increasingly show two things: child sexual abuse is far more common than many Australians realise, and Australia knows more about the issue than ever before.
On the first point, the past year has brought a series of confronting reports.
In November 2025, an ABC investigation into Australia’s childcare sector found major safety gaps and the effects of commercialisation within the industry. This year, a former childcare worker charged under Operation Moonbi has faced a total of 444 charges relating to more than 130 children. A court has yet to determine the charges.
Technology and the expanding online world are also complicating the picture.
The Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation received more than 100,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation in the 2025-26 financial year, a 21 per cent increase on the previous year, which had itself seen a 41 per cent jump in reports.
International Justice Mission (IJM) Australia has said Australian men are “one of the top three consumers” of child abuse material from the Philippines, which includes livestreamed exploitation. A study by Childlight and IJM found that 1.8 per cent of Australian men surveyed admitted to engaging in sexually explicit webcam interactions with children, and a further 4.7 per cent said they would if given the opportunity. As the report puts it:
“This is the equivalent of 1 in 15 survey respondents having either webcammed sexually with a child or having a desire to do so.”
Professor Michael Salter, Director of the East Asia and Pacific Hub of Childlight at UNSW, describes these cases not as sudden crises but as “an accumulation of unresolved harms”. When abuse is exposed, he says, the response often falls short and public attention moves on, while significant vulnerabilities remain. With risks constantly evolving through artificial intelligence and technology, he argues Australia needs a system “capable not only of responding to the harms Australia already understands, but of evolving as quickly as offenders do”.
Part of that response lies in understanding offender behaviour, and in raising awareness of the pathways to justice and compensation available to survivors.
What drives the onset of offending
In August 2026, the Australian Institute of Criminology released a rapid evidence review, Pathways to onset of contact child sexual abuse. It reviewed 23 empirical studies from around the world, nine of them Australian, and identified 15 factors that can contribute to the risk of offending.
These include childhood sexual abuse victimisation, early exposure to pornography or violent media, atypical or abusive fantasies, use of child sexual abuse material, access to children, and the location of offending.
The review identified three implications for prevention:
- Bolstering efforts to support victims of childhood maltreatment
- Prevention efforts that address offending emerging in adolescence, including early intervention and treatment
- Primary prevention, such as early consent and body safety training for children, education on mandatory reporting, and institutional rules restricting adults’ private access to children
Acting on these findings could significantly strengthen prevention and reduce the number of children harmed.
For more on how exposure to pornography and violent media can contribute to sexual violence, see our article on why culture matters in addressing sexual violence. The same risk factors also arise in cases of harmful sexual behaviour between children.
Pathways to compensation for survivors
The Australian Child Maltreatment Study found that 28.5 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have experienced child sexual abuse. We have examined what this figure means for survivors seeking justice.
Where child sexual abuse occurred in an institution, survivors may be able to make a civil claim for compensation. Institutions can include schools, religious organisations, detention centres, residential homes, and military academies. Our guide to what counts as an institution in abuse claims sets out a more extensive list.
Compensation can address the full impact of the harm suffered, including psychological injury, economic loss, and treatment costs. In NSW, there is no limitation period for child sexual abuse claims in most cases, although individual circumstances still matter. Survivors may also have a pathway to compensation even where the abuse was committed by another child.
Turning conversation into action
National Child Protection Week’s theme, “Every Conversation Matters, Shifting Conversation to Action”, is a timely reminder that awareness alone is not enough.
Australia now understands the prevalence, causes, and evolving nature of child sexual abuse better than ever before, yet the evidence shows significant challenges remain. Effective prevention requires ongoing investment in early intervention, education, survivor support, and strategies that address emerging risks in both physical and online environments.
At the same time, ensuring survivors can access justice and compensation remains a critical part of responding to the lasting impacts of abuse. By combining prevention, accountability, and support, Australia can move beyond reacting to individual incidents and build a more comprehensive approach to protecting children for future generations.
If you experienced abuse in an institution, you may be entitled to compensation. Learn more about institutional abuse compensation, or contact us confidentially below.
If you need support, contact Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 or 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732.
