Establish a Royal Commission into Intrafamilial Child Sexual Abuse

Royal Commission into intrafamilial child sexual abuse and federal systems

To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:

The petition of the undersigned shows:

Children are more likely to experience child sexual abuse or sexual exploitation from a person they see as ‘family’ than from a person who is a stranger to the child, or a person working for, or on behalf of, an institution that cares for, educates and otherwise supports a child. Despite this, very little rigorous, peer-reviewed research has occurred to date in Australia or abroad into this cohort of victims.

We are concerned that children who experience sexual abuse within their families, that is, intrafamilial child sexual abuse, may encounter fragmented responses across federal systems, including the family law system, and may not receive timely, coordinated legal and counselling support. There is a need for an independent examination of how federal processes identify and respond to abuse, protect children, and support survivors.

A national assessment is also needed to identify the legal, counselling and related services child survivors require; whether those services are available, accessible, culturally safe and trauma-informed; and where unmet need exists, including for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, children with disability, and children in regional and remote communities.

Your petitioners ask that the Senate:

Call on the Australian Government to establish an independent Royal Commission into intrafamilial child sexual abuse, with terms of reference to:

1. Examine systemic failures and gaps in relevant federal laws, agencies and processes, including the operation of the federal family law system and its interaction with state and territory child-protection, police and support services.
2. Investigate how children’s disclosures, safety risks and needs are identified, assessed and acted on, and whether existing processes reduce the risk of further harm or re-traumatisation.
3. Conduct a national needs analysis of child survivors’ access to legal advice and representation, trauma-informed counselling and related support, identifying service gaps, barriers, waiting times and unmet need.
4. Consult survivors safely and appropriately, and recommend reforms, service standards, funding and cooperative arrangements needed to improve protection and support.