ACTION AGAINST SEX ABUSE STUDY

[Alison J Stevens]

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/action-against-sex-abuse-an
-issue-study-20100901-14fy0.html


Action against sex abuse an issue: study September 1, 2010 - 7:59AM .AAP

Just one third of Australians would call police if a child told them they
were being sexually abused, an alarming new study has found.

But most of the 22,000 people surveyed by the National Association for
Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) believed child abuse was a
serious issue.

The results, released on Wednesday, showed that 48 per cent of people would
not take action in clear-cut examples of child abuse for fear they might be
wrong, while 42 per cent said they did not think it was their business.

Other excuses included not knowing what to do and not wanting to admit such
things happen.

NAPCAN chief executive officer Rosanna Martinello said she was shocked by
the findings of the survey, aimed at gauging attitudes toward child abuse
and neglect.

"They were given three scenarios of abuse and neglect and less than half
said that they would definitely take action to protect the child by ringing
the child protection authority or the police," Ms Martinello said in a
statement, adding that respondents were also able to choose more than one
answer.

If a child revealed they were being sexually abused, only 34 per cent said
they would call police, despite 92 per cent of respondents agreeing child
abuse was a serious issue.

Ms Martinello said with 33,000 Australian children being abused or neglected
each year, everyone needs to get involved.

"Don't turn a blind eye. Don't pass the buck," she said ahead of National
Child Protection Week 2010, which begins this Sunday on Father's Day.

"We all have a role to play, whether we are a parent, a relative, a
neighbour, a policy-maker, a journalist or an employer.

"We have to recognise that every Australian child is the responsibility of
all of us."

C 2010 AAP
Value-sexual abuse.