The authors examine the associations between experiences of child maltreatment and mental disorders in the Australian population. Child maltreatment is associated with increased risk of mental disorders.

The Australian Child Maltreatment Study has shown that the majority of Australians have experienced child maltreatment, and that these experiences are associated with substantially higher rates of health risk behaviours and conditions, including substance misuse, self-harm and suicide attempts. Sexual abuse and emotional abuse present the highest risks.

This study aimed to examine associations between child maltreatment and health service use, both overall, by type and by the number of types of maltreatment reported. It found that child maltreatment in Australia, particularly the experience of multiple types of maltreatment, is associated with increased likelihood of hospital admission with mental disorders, and higher numbers...

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) is required to inquire into, among other things, ‘what institutions and governments should do to achieve best practice in encouraging the reporting of, and responding to reports or information about, allegations, incidents or risks of child sexual abuse and related matters in...

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (the Royal Commission) is inquiring into how institutions have engaged with and responded to allegations and instances of institutional child sexual abuse. Key to this inquiry is the need to generate an understanding of the extent of child sexual abuse in Australia. Determining the prevalence...