Men came forward to abuse royal commission, Australian Associated Press, appearing in the Daily Mail (December 09, 2017)

[See also the narratives of victims who told their stories to the Royal Commission in private sessions.]

AN INSIGHT INTO THE VICTIMS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE IN AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTIONS

(Based on survivors who told their stories to the abuse royal commission in private sessions)

GENDER

* Most male (64 per cent)

* Outside of institutional settings, girls make up a higher proportion of victims

* 70 per cent of survivors of abuse in religious institutions male; 66 per cent for institutions managed by secular organisations; 55 per cent for government institutions

* More girls than boys abused in child care and health settings

* More boys than girls abused in places of worship, out-of-home care, social support services, juvenile justice and detention, educational, recreation, sports and clubs, armed forces and youth employment settings

AGE

* 10-14 most common age of first abuse (46 per cent of victims)

* 28 per cent abused when aged five to nine; five per cent aged under five

* 10 per cent abused when 15-17

* Female victims tended to report that abuse began at younger age than male victims

OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ABUSE

* Most abused by a single perpetrators; 36 per cent by multiple perpetrators

* Just under 80 per cent of survivors reported multiple episodes of abuse

* Most survivors abused in a single institution

* 37 per cent of survivors said abuse lasted longer than a year; two per cent said longer than 10 years

DISCLOSING ABUSE

* Some survivors disclose the abuse years later as adults

* Victims took on average 22.2 years to disclose the abuse

* Men took longer than women (average 23.4 years v 19.7 years)

* They most often told someone in authority in the institution, followed by a parent or police

* Only 5-6 per cent of victims report abuse to authorities

* As many as 60 per cent of victims never disclose the abuse

* Some disclosed their abuse for the first time at a private session with a commissioner

BEING A VOICE FOR OTHERS

Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan paid tribute to the courage and determination of survivors who gave evidence at public hearings.

"Although a relatively small number, they have given voice to the suffering of the tens of thousands who have been abused in an institutional context in Australia."

Source: Child abuse royal commission, based on analysis of private session data to end of 2016.