Victorian schools are now reporting at least six child-on-child abuses each week, with half of the incidents occurring among students in primary school.
That is according to a report published Monday by ABC News, which analyzed documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Those documents showed that, in 2022 and 2023, state-run Victorian primary schools in Australia had reported at least 240 incidents of child-on-child sexual abuse.
In more than half of those incidents, there were children under the age of 10 involved, the report noted.
The outlet also reviewed reports of child-on-child sex abuse in Victorian government high schools and found there were 242 incidents in 2022 and 2023.
In total, reports of child-on-child sex abuse in Victorian schools averaged around six per week.
How Many Kids Are Sexually Abused in Australia?
A landmark study published on Science Direct earlier this year found that 18.2% of participants aged 16 to 24 were sexually abused by their peers during their childhood. They now outnumber those who said they were abused by adults (11.7%).
The landmark Australian Child Maltreatment study also published this year found that among teens who reported peer-on-peer sexual assault, 13.2% knew the teen who sexually abused them. At least 5.7% said they were assaulted by a current or former romantic partner.
Between 2022 and 2021, the percentage of Year 10 and Year 12 sexually active students who reported unwanted sexual experiences rose to 41% from a previous 25%. The data, published by the Australian Survey of Secondary Students and Sexual Health, deems any sexual experience done when a person is too drunk or high to consent, those involving peer or partner pressure, and those too frightened to say no as "unwanted."
Furthermore, a 2017 research review found that 30% to 60% of childhood sexual abuse cases were perpetrated by children and young people.
Why Child-On-Child Sexual Abuse Is on the Rise
It is unclear what led to the rise of child-on-child abuse. However, some experts blame it on pornographic materials, especially with this content now spread online, putting them within easy reach of some children.
A cross-sectional study published in March found that the average age children were first exposed to porn in Australia was 13.2 for boys and 14.1 for females.
