Family and sexual violence rates against Australian children rise sharply as researchers warn of ‘manosphere’
News Source
•Tue, 13 Oct 2026 15:00:00 GMT
📰 What Happened
A new study by the University of Sydney found violence against Australian children rose sharply between 2014 and 2024. Sexual assaults against girls aged under nine rose 2.8% each year, and 4.2% for girls aged 10 to 17. Attacks on boys aged 10 to 17 jumped 15.7% after 2021. Family violence-related assault showed a similar steep rise.
The study was published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. Lead author Dr Lucy Grummitt said researchers expected rates to fall, as they have in other rich countries. Instead they found the opposite, which surprised them.
🔍 The Backstory
The research looked at ten years of Australian data. It used police records, hospital figures and child protection records from three national agencies. The authors say no single cause explains the rise. They point to income inequality, which is at a 20-year high and climbed from 2021. They also name the manosphere and misogynistic online communities.
Government support like the JobKeeper payment ended in March 2021. More reporting because of growing awareness may also play a part in the higher numbers.
🎯 Why It Matters
Violence harms children for life. The findings show that agencies need to work together to spot and prevent abuse earlier.
A new study by the University of Sydney found violence against Australian children rose sharply between 2014 and 2024. Sexual assaults against girls aged under nine rose 2.8% each year, and 4.2% for girls aged 10 to 17. Attacks on boys aged 10 to 17 jumped 15.7% after 2021. Family violence-related assault showed a similar steep rise.
The study was published in the medical journal JAMA Network Open. Lead author Dr Lucy Grummitt said researchers expected rates to fall, as they have in other rich countries. Instead they found the opposite, which surprised them.
The research looked at ten years of Australian data. It used police records, hospital figures and child protection records from three national agencies. The authors say no single cause explains the rise. They point to income inequality, which is at a 20-year high and climbed from 2021. They also name the manosphere and misogynistic online communities.
Government support like the JobKeeper payment ended in March 2021. More reporting because of growing awareness may also play a part in the higher numbers.
Violence harms children for life. The findings show that agencies need to work together to spot and prevent abuse earlier.