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EDUCATION
Regional communities' views on child sex abuse An investigation into the perceptions of child sexual abuse in regional Australia has revealed a worrying gap in the communities understanding of what actually constitutes child sexual abuse.
The research project - the first of its kind to look at child sexual abuse from regional communities’ perspectives - has also questioned whether unreported abuse is greater than previously thought.
 Researchers at Charles Sturt University (CSU) and the Upper Hume Community Health Service (UHCHS) in northern Victoria conducted an evaluation of the community based initiative known as ‘Fly a White Balloon’ (FWB) in the Hume region of northern Victoria and southern Riverina region of NSW.. The FWB initiative aims to raise awareness of child sexual abuse. The research group also examined community knowledge and perception of child sexual abuse in regional Australia. Fly a White Balloon Evaluation
FWB was introduced in the region in 1999 to raise community awareness of child sexual abuse and encourage community engagement in preventing abuse of young people. The balloons are displayed in the communities on the Tuesday of National Child Protection Week.
Over 470 people from 25 communities in northeast Victoria and southern NSW were involved in the evaluation of FWB, including in depth case studies of six communities; Albury, Beechworth, Corowa, Myrtleford, Wangaratta and Wodonga.
The research team, led by Dr Isabelle Bartkowiak-Theron from CSU’s School of Policing, includes Dr Michael Curtin from CSU’s School of Community Health and Ms Ilena Young from Upper Hume Community Health Service.
“We found that the FWB scheme is achieving its aims and its goals which are very clear in the minds of the community members,” said Dr Bartkowiak-Theron.
“Contrary to some statements often made in the media, this research showed that given a proper forum, such as FWB, communities
 are willing to break the silence and talk about and try to find ways to address taboo issues such as child sexual abuse. “However our research showed that this conversation about child sexual abuse is rather one-way and there is still room to achieve many more things and to start converting into action.”
Regional views on child sexual abuse
The report also looked at regional communities’ views of child sexual abuse incidence and response, in communities impacted by an awareness-raiser, such as FWB.
The research showed that the myths surrounding child sexual abuse, such as ‘strangers are the main perpetrators’, ‘this does not happen in my community’ and ‘it won’t happen to me’, are actually receding.
The communities impacted by events such as FWB are aware of the risks and circumstances of child sexual abuse, and know that such abuse is more likely to happen in or near home. The majority would also like to see rehabilitation programs available to offenders.
 “This puts into a new perspective programs such as ‘Stranger-Danger’, deemed by some research participants as insufficient and sometimes erroneous in the case of child sexual abuse,” said Dr Bartkowiak-Theron.
However, while respondents were confident in their knowledge of child sexual abuse, few could give a clear definition of what constitutes the abuse, revealing major gaps in the identification of the abuse. Few of those surveyed mentioned harassment, showing pictures and/or the display of pornographic images.
“This knowledge gap has implications for the issue of reporting child sexual abuse to authorities.”
“It really poses the questions on how much abuse is left unreported in Australia,” said the CSU academic.
Conservative figures
“We are also concerned about the figures which revealed the majority of those surveyed thought those with most at stake - the children - did not fully understand what constitutes child sexual abuse”
Federal Government figures state that one in four young girls and one in seven young boys are sexually abused in Australia.
“This research offers the potential to contribute to the policing, response and community awareness of child sexual abuse in regional Australia,” said Dr Bartkowiak-Theron.
The report makes a series of 12 recommendations aimed at improving the FWB scheme and at addressing child sexual abuse in regional communities and identifies a further research agenda. The recommendations include the education of the community about what child sexual abuse actually is and a campaign to encourage young victims to tell someone and seek help. ends Author: Fiona Halloran Publication Date: 07 Aug 2008
Editor's Note: A copy of the report ‘Fly a White Balloon and Child Sexual Abuse: A study of community perceptions in regional Australia – 2008 report’ is available here.
Media Note: CSU’s Dr Isabelle Bartkowiak-Theron is available for interview in Goulburn and in Albury from Monday 11 August. Dr Michael Curtin is based on CSU’s Albury-Wodonga Campus. The Upper Hume Community Health Service’s Ms Ilena Young is based in Wodonga. Contact CSU to arrange an interview.
Upper Hume Community Health Service’s Manager for Families Relationships and Youth Ms Margaret Hunter, who commissioned the report, is in Wodonga.
Fly a White Balloon coordinator, Ms Helen Thomopoulos is available for interview about the community initiative and how to get involved in the FWB program.
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