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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Impact of a new mandatory reporting law on reporting and identification of child sexual abuse: A seven year time trend analysis
Child Abuse and Neglect, Volume 56, Year 2016
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Description
Child sexual abuse is widespread and difficult to detect. To enhance case identification, many societies have enacted mandatory reporting laws requiring designated professionals, most often police, teachers, doctors and nurses, to report suspected cases to government child welfare agencies. Little research has explored the effects of introducing a reporting law on the number of reports made, and the outcomes of those reports. This study explored the impact of a new legislative mandatory reporting duty for child sexual abuse in the State of Western Australia over seven years. We analyzed data about numbers and outcomes of reports by mandated reporters, for periods before the law (2006-2008) and after the law (2009-2012). Results indicate that the number of reports by mandated reporters of suspected child sexual abuse increased by a factor of 3.7, from an annual mean of 662 in the three year pre-law period to 2448 in the four year post-law period. The increase in the first two post-law years was contextually and statistically significant. Report numbers stabilized in 2010-2012, at one report per 210 children. The number of investigated reports increased threefold, from an annual mean of 451 in the pre-law period to 1363 in the post-law period. Significant decline in the proportion of mandated reports that were investigated in the first two post-law years suggested the new level of reporting and investigative need exceeded what was anticipated. However, a subsequent significant increase restored the pre-law proportion, suggesting systemic adaptive capacity. The number of substantiated investigations doubled, from an annual mean of 160 in the pre-law period to 327 in the post-law period, indicating twice as many sexually abused children were being identified. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Mathews, Ben
Australia, Brisbane
Queensland University of Technology
Pacella, Rosana
Australia, Brisbane
Queensland University of Technology
Statistics
Citations: 59
Authors: 2
Affiliations: 1
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.chiabu.2016.04.009
ISSN:
01452134
Research Areas
Maternal And Child Health
Sexual And Reproductive Health
Violence And Injury