Bibliography

The media and child abuse

Bailey, Alice.
Separating safety from situational violence: a response to the AIFS report.
DVIRC Quarterly (Domestic Violence and Incest Resource Centre) no.3 Spring 2007: 11-14

The Australian Institute of Family Studies report, 'Allegations of family violence and child abuse in family law children's proceedings', has prompted much discussion within the media and the family violence prevention sector. This article summarises some of the report's findings and a range of responses to the report that consider implications for practice. The article discusses: allegations of family violence and implications for parenting arrangements; differentiating family violence; and, moving beyond the 'situational': a more complex differentiation of family violence.

Available from: Domestic Violence Resource Centre Victoria http://www.dvrcv.org.au

Calma, Tom.
Social justice report 2007.
Sydney, NSW: Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, 2008, 411p (Report no.1/2008), and Online (PDF 9.25MB)
http://www.hreoc.gov.au/social_justice/sj_report/sjreport07/index.html

The focus of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner's fourth ' Social justice report' is family violence and child abuse in Indigenous communities, brought to the attention of the Australian people by the Federal Government's Northern Territory intervention. As well as providing the background to the 'Little children are sacred' report and the Northern Territory intervention, the report is intended to restore some confidence and dignity to Indigenous Australians who have suffered from the wholesale negative portrayal of Indigenous society by some politicians and media. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the Northern Territory intervention and a critique of some of the problematic aspects through a human rights based approach.

Available from: Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission http://www.hreoc.gov.au/

Cousins, Carolyn.
When is it serious enough? The protection of children of parents with a mental health problem, tough decisions and avoiding a 'martyred' child.
Australian e-Journal for the Advancement of Mental Health (AeJAMH) v.3 no.2 Aug 2004: 8p, Online only (PDF 54K)
http://www.auseinet.com/journal/vol3iss2/cousins.pdf

This paper outlines some of the very real emotional challenges and decisions faced by mental health workers with clients who, through no fault of their own, are failing to meet the needs of their children. In particular, it focuses on the effects of long term emotional abuse and neglect due to parental mental health issues and includes discussion of some difficult concepts such as 'good enough' parenting, and what constitutes harm. The paper proposes that it is very difficult for adult mental health workers to hold in tension the needs of the adult client and the needs of their children, when sometimes these are at odds with each other. It ultimately argues for a change in service culture where the ethical and moral nature of these decisions is discussed and debated, rather than what could be seen to be an emerging culture of fear, based on recent critical incidents and unwanted media attention. (Journal abstract)

Available from: AeJAMH, Auseinet, CAMHS, Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park SA 5042. Internet http://auseinet.flinders.edu.au

Elizabeth, Vivienne.
Children in the frontline of family violence prevention: a site of unease?
In: Families Matter: 9th Australian Institute of Family Studies Conference, Melbourne, February 2005 - proceedings. Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2005, 10p, illus., Online only
http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/afrc9/elizabeth.html

That New Zealand has a family violence problem must surely be beyond doubt. Numerous studies during the 1990s and 2000s testify to its all too frequent occurrence in our homes. Alarmingly, much of this violence is either witnessed by, or directed at, New Zealand's children. Taking a stand against this violence, a wide range of statutory and non-statutory agencies in Waitakere City (Auckland) have formed a collaborative partnership called Great Start Waitakere: Te Korowai Manaaki. This paper considers one of the projects to have emerged out of this collaborative partnership: a billboard campaign that coincided with a more detailed exploration of the issues in the local newspaper. Charting the story of the development of the billboards and associated newspaper coverage, this paper examines how the problem of violence for children was framed within the campaign. It considers whether this framing indicates the resolution, or continuation, of a well-known clash between child welfare advocates and domestic violence workers. (Author abstract)

Available from: Australian Institute of Family Studies, Level 20, 485 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000. http://www.aifs.gov.au/

Fanslow, Janet.
Beyond zero tolerance: key issues and future directions for family violence work in New Zealand.
Wellington, NZ: Families Commission, 2005, 109p, figures, tables (Research report no.3/05), and Online (PDF 1.3MB)
http://www.nzfamilies.org.nz/download/zero-tolerance.pdf

This report provides an overview of New Zealand's responses to family violence and current trends in government and community initiatives. It discusses definitions of family violence, child abuse, elder abuse and intimate partner violence; incidence and prevalence of these types of violence; consequences of these types of violence; programs and service approaches to child abuse; deaths and hospitalisations from partner violence and elder abuse; risk factors for child abuse, elder abuse and partner violence; recognising diversity in perpetration of violence and differences in coping trajectories for 'targets of violence'; intervention and prevention efforts for partner violence, child abuse and elder abuse; health care interventions; school and employer based programs; gender; mass media campaigns; advocacy; legal responses to partner violence; arrest policies and alternative sanctions; interventions for batterers; coordinated community responses; co occurrence of child abuse and partner abuse; economic costs; a framework for violence prevention; and policy and research recommendations.

Available from: Families Commission, PO Box 2839, Wellington NZ. Internet http://www.nzfamilies.org.nz/

Foster, Adam.
Reframing public discourse on child abuse in Australia.
Child Abuse Prevention Newsletter v.13 no.1 Summer 2005: 14-16, and Online
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/newsletters/nl2005/summer.html

The official 2004 figures for child abuse in Australia show that ten per cent of cases involved sexual abuse, eleven per cent experienced emotional maltreatment, 36 per cent concerned neglect and 43 per cent were due to physical abuse. This article points out that over the last year, child abuse reporting in the Australian media has had an overwhelming focus on child sexual abuse, and in particular on child pornography. Noting the media's ability to shape public discourse and consequently to influence government funding, the article stresses the need to focus attention on the aspects of child abuse that do the most collective harm; that is, physical abuse and neglect. It also underlines the importance of funding initiatives that address the causes rather than the manifestations of child abuse, arguing that the most effective child protection strategies are preventative solutions that deal with social disadvantage and marginalisation.

Available from: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies, Level 20, 485 La Trobe Street, Melbourne, Vic 3000. http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/

Goddard, Chris; De Bortoli, Lillian; Saunders, Bernadette J; Tucci, Joe.
The rapist's camouflage: 'child prostitution'.
Child Abuse Review v.14 no.4 Jul - Aug 2005: 275-291, figures

Is child prostitution more closely related to adult prostitution or to child sexual abuse? This article examines the social construction of the word 'prostitution' and the phenomenon of textual abuse, which refers to language that objectifies and exploits children. It presents results of a research study that analysed the contexts in which the phrase 'child prostitution' is used in print media and in major international government and non government documents.

Available from: British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, 10 Priory Street, York, YO1 1EZ, UK. Subscription: Wiley Interscience

Healey, Justin ed..
Child sexual abuse.
Thirroul, NSW: Spinney Press, 2005, 44p, tables, illus. (Issues in society no.215)

Current information about child sexual abuse from diverse sources including newspapers, magazines, websites, government reports and other organisations is collected in this publication. It is divided into two main sections: Victims of child sexual abuse and Child sex offenders. The following subtopics are covered: incidence and impact; myths; facts about sexual assault; sibling sexual abuse; rise in sex abuse between children; the link between pornography and young sex offenders; indicators of child sexual abuse; effects; reporting child sexual abuse; children and counselling; information for survivors; offender characteristics and modus operandi; paedophile database; the right to silence of the accused and abuse of children under five years; protecting your child; children stalked on the internet; child abusers abroad; child sexual abuse within the church; and why offenders abuse children.

Available from: Spinney Press, PO Box 438, Thirroul, NSW 2515. Internet http://www.spinneypress.com.au

Holzer, Prue; Lewig, Kelly; Arney, Fiona; Bromfield, Leah.
The Research Utilisation Project: facilitating research informed policy and practice.
Melbourne, Vic: Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2007, 11p, Online (PDF 752KB)
http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/reports/researchutilisation/ stage1/facilitating.pdf

To what extent does research inform policy and practice developments in the human services? The purpose of the Research Utilisation Project was to explore the degree of research use by Australian professionals in the child and family welfare sector and in particular, ways in which use of research could be encouraged in the child protection sector. An initial survey of subscribers to National Child Protection Clearinghouse publications, and a follow up telephone interview with 59 of those respondents, investigated how often they accessed and applied research. The telephone interview participants were asked to provide qualitative descriptions of how they had accessed and applied research in their current role and to discuss barriers and facilitators to research use that they had experienced in their current workplace. The survey results indicate that most prevalent facilitator of research use is the capacity to see the relevance of the research to practice and policy making. The most prevalent reported barrier to research use was the need to consider other sources of information such as public opinion, interest groups, and the media, suggesting that research is viewed as one of many voices competing for the attention of practitioners, policy makers, and other professionals in the child and family welfare sector. When the dominant purveyor of information is other than research, it is likely to act as a barrier to research use.

Available from: National Child Protection Clearinghouse, Australian Institute of Family Studies http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/

Langton, Marcia.
Trapped in the Aboriginal reality show.
Griffith Review no.19 2008: 17p, Online (PDF 124K)
http://www3.griffith.edu.au/01/griffithreview/get_content_file.php? id=1774

In this essay the author discusses the public debate about 'Indigenous affairs', and federal intervention into the Northern Territory in 2007 following reports about conditions and abuse of Aboriginal children living in remote communities. She discusses the issues, policies, protagonists, the role of the media and ideology. She states that 'I believe that those opposed to the intervention are morally and politically wrong.' She argues that the debate over rights and culture and the dominance of the 'reconciliation and justice' rhetoric is what prevents action to address the practices which cause havoc in Aboriginal communities (ie violent anti-social behaviour, excessive and harmful use of drugs, alcohol and other substances, use of pornography, gambling, and the resultant neglect of family life and children).

Available from: Griffith University http://www.griffith.edu.au/

Libesman, Terri.
Government neglect.
Indigenous Law Bulletin v.6 no.27 May 2007: 12

The author calls for immediate action to combat the underlying causes of child abuse and violence in Indigenous communities. Reports and recommendations addressing Aboriginal inequality, family well being and child welfare have been produced as far back as 1988, but their interventions have not been implemented. This situation is now considered as a 'new' crisis, prompting a swift but, according to the author, ill considered government response and distorted media publicity.

Available from: Indigenous Law Centre, Faculty of Law, University of New South Wales http://www.ilc.unsw.edu.au/

Martiniello, Jennifer.
Howard's new Tampa: Aboriginal children overboard.
Australian Feminist Law Journal v.26 Jun 2007: 123-126

The Federal Government's focus on the sexual abuse of Aboriginal children has drawn emotive responses from the media and the public. But is it the new 'children overboard', designed to deflect attention from the real agenda? This article points out that there have been plenty of opportunities over the last 12 years for the Federal Government to take action on reports and recommendations to address social disadvantage in Aboriginal communities. It suggests that two specific issues are being sneaked in under the covers: more exploration permits for mining companies in the Northern Territory, and the proposed dumping of nuclear waste on Aboriginal lands. It argues that other strands of the Government's scheme to intervene in Aboriginal communities, such as the signing over of Aboriginal land leases to the government, and the defunding of Aboriginal art centres, youth centres and health centres, reveal the underlying purpose of the interventions; that is, to drive Aboriginal people off their traditional lands and out of their communities.

Available from: Australian Feminist Law Journal http://www.griffith.edu.au/publication/aflj/

Mondy, Linda; Mondy; Stephen.
Engaging the community in child protection programmes: the experience of NEWPIN in Australia.
Child Abuse Review v.13 no.6 Nov - Dec 2004: 433-440

NEWPIN, a centre based intensive child protection and parent education intervention program for children under five years and their parents, has been operating in three disadvantaged areas of western Sydney and two sites in Tasmania and Victoria since the late 1990s. This article describes ways in which NEWPIN has set out to engage communities with regard to child protection issues. It discusses joint advocacy, the media and ethical issues.

Available from: British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, 10 Priory Street, York, YO1 1EZ, UK. Subscription: Wiley Interscience

National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN).
Child friendly community action kit: a guide to building child friendly communities.
Surry Hills, NSW: NAPCAN Foundation, 2005, 60p, tables, figures, Online only (PDF 5202K)
http://www.napcan.org.au/documents/NAPCANActionKit.pdf

Information on how to make your community child friendly is provided in this kit. The kit presents advice on forming a child friendly Community Action Group and planning child friendly initiatives. It discusses the issue of child abuse and neglect, including types of abuse, the effects of child abuse and neglect, the long term nature of the problem, the economic cost of child abuse and neglect, and the benefits of prevention. It describes what a child friendly community is, how child friendly communities prevent child abuse and neglect, and indicators of a child friendly community, and it looks at examples of child friendly community initiatives in New South Wales, Victoria and the Northern Territory. It explains the three stages of making change raising awareness, increasing participation and building capacity - and gives tips on organising events, fundraising, managing your group, networking, planning your activities, working with the media and having your own newsletter.

Available from: National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. http://www.napcan.org.au/

National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN).
NAPCAN's approach: five year plan 2005 to 2010.
Haymarket, NSW: NAPCAN, 2005, 33p, figures, Online (PDF 4089K)
http://www.napcan.org.au/documents/NAPCANsApproach.pdf

NAPCAN's five year plan gives background information about child abuse and neglect in Australia and the scope of NAPCAN's operation. It then covers its planned activities in the following areas: children's services; programs and projects; media; professional and community workshops; wellbeing and prevention tools; knowledge institutes; measuring progress and success.

Available from: National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect http://www.napcan.org.au/

Rothstein, Jonty; Heazlewood, Richard; Fraser, Marnie.
Health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in remote far north Queensland: findings of the Paediatric Outreach Service.
Medical Journal of Australia v.186 no.10 May 2007: 519-521, figure, table, and Online
http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_10_210507/rot10216_fm.html

This paper describes pattern of disease and other health problems in Aboriginal and Torres Strait children living in remote far north Queensland. The Far North Queensland Paediatric Outreach Service database was analysed from June 2001 to February 2006. Of the 3562 children seen, 44% were Aboriginal and 18% were Torres Strait Islanders, which represented 56% and 23% of all of the children of those communities. The 3 most common reasons for presentation were chronic suppurative otitis media, suspected child abuse and neglect, and failure to thrive. The Aboriginal children also had a high prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, and the Torres Strait Islander children had a high prevalence of rheumatic heart disease. The study identifies significantly high rates of preventable complex and chronic health problems.

Available from: Australasian Medical Publishing Company http://www.mja.com.au/

Sarra, Chris.
Engaging with Aboriginal communities to address social disadvantage.
Developing Practice: The Child, Youth and Family Work Journal no.19 Winter-Spring 2007: 9-11

The Federal Government's response to child abuse in the Northern Territory has lacked the capacity and understanding to deal with the underlying problems in remote Aboriginal communities. The media focus on child abuse is adding to a perception that Aboriginal people are to be demonised or pitied, attitudes that increase the tendency among the general Australian population to view Indigenous Australians as Other and that fuel existing racism. Calls for help from Aboriginal communities have largely been ignored until now, encouraging a tendency among Aboriginal people to accept the perceptions of mainstream Australia that child abuse and domestic violence in these communities are not worth addressing, or that there is something shameful or pitiable about being an Aborigine. The answer to these problems is for all Australians to realise that good capacity does reside in Aborigines and Aboriginal communities, and to invest in and develop that capacity.

Available from: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies http://www.acwa.asn.au/

Spence, Nigel; Scott, Eric; Macgregor, Beth; Mulroney, Louise; Cashmore, Judy.
Expectations and reality: non-government child and family workers' experience of mandatory reporting.
Sydney, NSW: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies, 2004, 55p, tables

The introduction of the Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection Act) 1998 brought about many changes in the NSW child protection system. One of the most significant changes was the extension of mandatory reporting to a greater number of occupational groups. In response to the level of concern about the response to calls made by mandatory reporters, surveys were conducted in 2001 by a consortium of agencies. The aim of these surveys was to gain an understanding of the experience of non government agencies in making reports of children at risk of harm and the perceived effectiveness of the new system. Continuing widespread concern with the NSW child protection system including public and media criticism resulted in the announcement of a Parliamentary Inquiry into child protection in mid 2002. Within this context, Australian Childrens Welfare Agencies undertook to investigate further the factors which influence the making of reports by non government child and family service providers, the expectations of reporters when they make a report, and their views as to whether or not children are better protected by the new NSW child protection reporting system. This involved in-depth interviews with child and family services workers, focusing on factors that influence the decision to report; expectations of what will happen as a consequence of making a report; and their understanding of the difference in reporting to DoCS and the requirements to report to the Ombudsman, all of which are reported on in this publication.

Available from: Association of Childrens Welfare Agencies, Locked Bag 13, Haymarket NSW 1240. Email acwa@acwa.asn.au. Internet http://www.acwa.asn.au/

Victoria Police.
Code of practice for the investigation of sexual assault.
Melbourne, Vic: Victoria Police, 2005, 37p, Online (PDF 621K)
http://www.police.vic.gov.au/retrievemedia.asp?Media_ID=1717

This code of practice describes the way Victoria Police members must respond to reports of sexual assault. The aims of the code and the functions of Victoria Police are detailed here. The code covers caring for the victim; ensuring prompt medical attention; drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault; Indigenous communities; culturally and linguistically diverse communities; victims with disabilities; victims with a mental illness; victims with a cognitive impairment; children; mandatory reporting; paediatric forensic medical services; guidelines for police who receive the initial report of a sexual assault; guidelines for police who are first on the scene; guidelines for Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Unit members; guidelines for police interviewing a sexual assault victim; guidelines for investigators; procedures for no further police action; past sexual assaults; recent sexual assaults; support services; monitoring adherence to the guidelines; Victoria Police - Centre Against Sexual Assault liaison committees; and resources.

Available from: Victoria Police. Internet http://www.police.vic.gov.au

Victoria. Ombudsman.
Improving responses to allegations involving sexual assault.
Melbourne, Vic: Ombudsman Victoria, 2006, 53p (Parliamentary paper no.118), and Online (PDF 437K)
http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/resources/documents/Improving_responses_to_allegations_involving_sexual_assault_report.pdf

The conclusions of an enquiry into the response of government agencies in Victoria to allegations of sexual assault are presented in this publication. The report discusses the reporting of incidents of sexual assault, terminology, information sharing and privacy, systemic issues for people from culturally and linguistically diverse groups, protection against sexual assault, providing a safe environment, female only residential options, relocation of persons following a sexual assault, child protection, inter agency liaison, Indigenous people, workforce issues, agency employees accused of sexual assault, vetting of employees working with people vulnerable to sexual assault, specialist workers and multi disciplinary teams, police investigation processes, police communication, evidence gathering, Independent Third Persons, withdrawn complaints, non authorisation of briefs, community education about sexual assault, and the role of the media. The report makes recommendations in response to these findings.

Available from: Ombudsman Victoria http://www.ombudsman.vic.gov.au/

Wood, Beth; Buckley, Sue.
The impact of a television current affairs programme on attitudes to physical punishment.
In: Blossoming of our children: 10th Australasian Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect: papers, presentations and abstracts. Christchurch, NZ: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse, 2006, 8p; 12p, Online (PDF 148K (paper); 93K (presentation))
http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/accan/papers-presentations/abstract126v.shtml

Many child protection advocates want Section 59 of the New Zealand Crimes Act 1961, relating to physical punishment of children by parents, repealed. This paper analyses the impact of a media presentation of the physical punishment debate on teacher trainees. The participants were surveyed about the impact of the documentary on their views on the physical punishment debate. Results will inform efforts on how to change public opinion about physical punishment. The paper discusses the views of the students on smacking as part of discipline; their understanding of the implications of a repeal of s59; and change in their views of the debate on the use of physical punishment after viewing this videotape. The paper includes participants' comments.

Available from: New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/

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