Learn about child sexual abuse

Please be aware that this page gives information on child sexual abuse and may bring up emotions for some readers.

We encourage readers to take care while engaging with this content and seek support if needed. Support is available for anyone who needs it. Visit the 'Get support' page to find a service that suits you.

If you have concerns about the safety of a child or young person, you must report it. Visit the 'Make a report' page or visit the National Office for Child Safety’s website for more information.

Child sexual abuse is the involvement of a child in any sexual activity that the child does not fully comprehend, is unable to give informed consent to, is developmentally unprepared for, or otherwise violates the laws or norms of society.

Children can be sexually abused by adults or by the harmful sexual behaviour of other children. Children may be sexually abused through physical contact (penetration, masturbation, touching, kissing, rubbing) or non-contact acts (such as encouraging or involving a child in producing or viewing sexual images, activities or inappropriate sexual behaviour).

Child sexual abuse may occur in-person and online, in families, in educational, sporting, community and faith-based settings, and in government and non-government organisations and institutions.

Child sexual exploitation and sextortion are forms of coercive or manipulative child sexual abuse in which the perpetrator abuses or attempts to abuse a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, with the aim of profiting financially, socially or politically from sexually exploiting a child. To achieve this, the perpetrator may entice the child by offering tangible or intangible goods, such as food, shelter, affection, drugs or alcohol.

Grooming is sexual abuse through deliberate acts intended to manipulate and control a child, their parent/s, caregivers, support networks or other organisations, in an effort to: build trust and gain access to the child, obtain the child’s compliance, maintain their silence, and/or avoid discovery. A child may be groomed in-person or online, by an adult or another child, perhaps by someone they already know.

Institutional child sexual abuse is abuse that occurs within, is enabled by or attributable to the premises, action, inaction, activities or operations of a government or non-government organisation and/or its paid/unpaid workers in the course of or in connection with their duties.

Children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviours is the term used to describe children and young people who have displayed sexual behaviours that fall outside what may be considered developmentally expected or socially appropriate, cause harm to themselves or others, and occur either face to face and/or via technology.

When these behaviours involve others, they may include a lack of consent, reciprocity, mutuality, and may involve the use of coercion, force, or a misuse of power. Harmful sexual behaviours invoke worry about the development and wellbeing of the child, young person, or others involved, and where they involve other children or young people, the behaviours may cause significant harm and maybe experienced as abusive by other children and young people involved.

Harmful sexual behaviours can occur in any setting, including in person and online.

For a full list of terms, definitions and key concepts go to Appendix 4 of Change for Children.

For more information about child sexual abuse, signs and indicators and information on who perpetrates child sexual abuse go to the National Office for Child Safety’s website. This includes useful information on how to respond to a child sexual abuse disclosure.

You can also find more information about child sexual abuse on the Tell Someone website.