Jane Gardner
5th September 2007,
Sunshine Coast Daily.
More Australian boys are falling victim to sexual abuse than girls, a leading child protection expert has told a Sunshine Coast conference.
Professor Freda Briggs told 130 Sunshine Coast-based child care workers the heartbreaking facts of insidious and unreported child abuse in Australia.
The South Australian emeritus scholar told the audience her research indicated more boys fell victim to sexual abuse than young girls, despite statistics to the contrary.
“I’m hoping they will take away the message that we need to provide better protection for boys,” she said.
“Men in the audience said to me after my address that I was the first person they had ever heard talk about the abuse of boys. That really concerns me because these were men working in the child protection field.
“Popular statistics indicate one in three girls are sexually abused before they reach school and one in seven boys. That’s rubbish because it’s dependent on reports.
“The message I want to get across is that boys don’t report. They won’t report it because they are scared to death of violent retribution and fear their mates will label them as ‘poofters’.
“Boys stay silent because the problem is so widespread, they think it’s normal behaviour.”
Prof Briggs’ most recent study into sexual abuse in boys revealed 198 male victims who had been abused by 1700 different people.
“Only 26% had attempted to make a report and only one had succeeded,” she said. “That means 1699 got away with it.
“Of the 198, 78% thought the abuse was normal.
Her speech came as new figures about the number of children living in protective care were released. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare statistics showed the numbers had almost doubled in the past five years.
In 2001, 3573 children were in care, compared to 6446 in 2006 -- giving Queensland the second highest number of children in care, behind NSW.
And while it is easy to imagine how child abuse could occur in impoverished or neglectful households affected by drugs and alcohol, Prof Briggs said perpetrators come from all walks of life.
“I’ve been a professional witness for boys sexually abused in the most elite schools in the country. Most parents thought their kids were safe there, but “There are sexual predators wherever there are children,” she said. “They are people who are often charming, get on extremely well with children, will charm the parents, and are often in religious organisations.
“They represent society as a whole.
“Very often they are already in the child’s home and can be relatives and neighbours.
Parents shouldn’t panic, but what they need to be doing far more than they are now is to protect their children. Most parents only know the myths still telling children about dangerous strangers.
“The problem is children think strangers are male monsters who wear balaclavas and have evil eyes.’’
Anyone who doesn’t look like that is assumed to be safe.”
Having a “no secrets” policy in your home is also a good way to ensure your kids feel confident to report abuse, she said.
Prof Briggs was the keynote speaker at a training day for local child protection workers. Other guest speakers included Colin Smith, a Caloundra-based child safety officer, and Detective Sergeant Phil Hurst of the Sunshine Coast District Child Abuse Investigation Unit.
The speeches were part of Child Protection Week events to raise awareness of the problem of child abuse and discuss strategies to beat it.
If you suspect a child is being abused, contact your local child safety service centre or freecall 1800 811 810.