Child sexual abuse victimization amongst detained adolescents and incarcerated young adults : findings from an Australian population-based birth cohort study Lisa Thomsen, Carleen Thompson, James Ogilvie, Nadine McKillop, Emily Hurren, Timea Molnar and Troy Allard
By: Thomsen, Lisa.
Contributor(s): Thompson, Carleen | Ogilvie, James | McKillop, Nadine | Hurren, Emily | Molnar, Timea | Allard, Troy.
Material type: ArticleSeries: Journal of Child Abue.Publisher: Taylor & Francis, 2024Subject(s): ADVERSE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES | CHILD NEGLECT | CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE | LONGITUDINAL STUDIES | PRISONERS | RISK FACTORS | TRAUMA | WOMEN PRISONERS | YOUNG OFFENDERS | YOUNG OFFENDERS | YOUNG PEOPLE | YOUNG WOMEN | YOUTH JUSTICE | INTERNATIONAL | AUSTRALIAOnline resources: DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2024.2350636 (Open access) In: Journal of Child Abuse, 2024, First published online,, 7 May 2024Summary: To guide prevention and intervention efforts, the prevalence and impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) victimization among detained and incarcerated populations requires further examination, particularly with consideration of multi-type maltreatment experiences and sex-based variations. This longitudinal population-based study explores these relationships in an Australian birth cohort comprising all individuals born in Queensland in 1983 and 1984 (n = 82,409; 48.68% female). Data include all notified and substantiated harm(s) from child protection services (0 to 17 years), and sentences to youth detention and/or adult incarceration between ages 10 and 30. Findings indicate greater prevalence of CSA amongst detained/incarcerated individuals compared to the general population but emphasize the impact of cooccurring maltreatment (particularly neglect) on the likelihood of custodial outcomes. Important sex-based differences were noted in the intersection of CSA victimization and detention/incarceration. Findings reinforce the need for trauma-informed practices when working with custodial populations, particularly females, and highlight opportunities for prevention of detention/incarceration in at-risk populations, in line with a broader public health approach to child protection. (Authors' abstract). Record #8740Journal of Child Abuse, 2024, First published online,, 7 May 2024
To guide prevention and intervention efforts, the prevalence and impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) victimization among detained and incarcerated populations requires further examination, particularly with consideration of multi-type maltreatment experiences and sex-based variations. This longitudinal population-based study explores these relationships in an Australian birth cohort comprising all individuals born in Queensland in 1983 and 1984 (n = 82,409; 48.68% female). Data include all notified and substantiated harm(s) from child protection services (0 to 17 years), and sentences to youth detention and/or adult incarceration between ages 10 and 30. Findings indicate greater prevalence of CSA amongst detained/incarcerated individuals compared to the general population but emphasize the impact of cooccurring maltreatment (particularly neglect) on the likelihood of custodial outcomes. Important sex-based differences were noted in the intersection of CSA victimization and detention/incarceration. Findings reinforce the need for trauma-informed practices when working with custodial populations, particularly females, and highlight opportunities for prevention of detention/incarceration in at-risk populations, in line with a broader public health approach to child protection. (Authors' abstract). Record #8740