Why Didn’t They Intervene? Examining the Role of Guardianship in Preventing Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

Lockitch, Jessica; Rayment-McHugh, Susan; McKillop, Nadine

doi:10.1080/10538712.2022.2133042

Cited by 6 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Potential barriers to a person's capacity to guard against CSA within domestic settings may include the emotional bonds, trust, loyalty and dependence that are common features of familial relationships (McKillop et al, 2021). Meanwhile, an inability to detect or identify indicators of CSA, diffusion of responsibility and a lack of policy enforcement by institutions may hinder guardianship in youth‐serving organisations (Lockitch et al, 2022).…”

Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalising the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse

Rayment‐McHugh,

McKillop,

Adams

et al. 2024

Child Abuse Review

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There is growing recognition of the contextual dynamics of child sexual abuse, with a developing evidence base supporting it, sparking calls to ensure prevention efforts are contextualised. Contextual approaches extend the focus of prevention beyond the individual, to include immediate situations, and the physical and social contexts in which abuse occurs. Although academic and industry support for contextual approaches is gaining momentum, there is no consistent definition of contextual prevention nor operational clarity currently available to inform research, policy and practice. This contributes to a lack of policy guidance and practice consistency; also impeding much needed evaluation research, and likely slowing scholarly and practice uptake. In this article, we address this important gap. Based on a critical review of relevant literature, we propose a conceptual definition of contextual prevention and its operationalisation and provide a framework and guidance for policymakers and practitioners tasked with protecting children from child sexual abuse.

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Section: Findings and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalising the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse

Rayment‐McHugh,

McKillop,

Adams

et al. 2024

Child Abuse Review

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…Contemporary research has identified guardianship as being significantly related to severity reduction and disruption of sexual offences (Cook et al, 2021; Leclerc et al, 2015; Wortley et al, 2019). Guardianship intensity (i.e., willingness and capability to actively intervene) was noted as the leading cause of sexual offence cessation (Cook et al, 2021), and has been implicated in sexual abuse within institutional settings (Lockitch et al, 2022). As discussed, literature shows that older people depend on others for the provision of care and guardianship, often relying on third-party intervention to instigate formal reporting and investigation when alleged incidents occur (Burgess et al, 2000a; Radermacher et al, 2018).…”

Section: Theoretical Explanations Of Sexual Assaultmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public views of sexual assault, and its prevention, in residential aged care facilities

Lee,

Moir,

McKillop

2024

Journal of Criminology

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The prevalence of sexual assaults against older people in Residential Aged Care Facilities (RACFs) is estimated to be more than double the incidents in the community, yet there is a paucity of empirical research focused on this context. Considering significant revelations and community concerns stemming from Australia's recent Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, the current study sought to assess public knowledge of sexual assaults in RACFs, specifically, the causes, delegations of responsibility, and possible solutions to limit reoccurrences. Thematic analysis was conducted on 2,398 social media comments made in response to posts concerning sexual assault in RACFs ( n = 27 sources). Results suggest systemic factors frequently contributed to incidents (e.g., staffing insufficiencies, apathetic management, and meagre regulatory requirements), while improved guardianship, sanctions, and regulation were expected to mitigate risk. Notably, the government was frequently blamed for its role in establishing and maintaining conditions that manifest in abuse within RACFs, with responsibility also delegated to family members. Importantly, public opinion strongly coincided with prior empirical prevention recommendations, endorsing the implementation of identified measures to limit sexual victimisation risk in RACFs.

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Too risky yet not risky enough: the intersecting characteristics, vulnerabilities, harm indicators and guardianship issues associated with seriously harmed missing children

Fox,

Miles,

Solymosi

et al. 2024

Policing and Society

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Why Didn’t They Intervene? Examining the Role of Guardianship in Preventing Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

Cited by 6 publications

References 30 publications

Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalising the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse

Context matters: Conceptualising and operationalising the contextual prevention of child sexual abuse

Public views of sexual assault, and its prevention, in residential aged care facilities

Too risky yet not risky enough: the intersecting characteristics, vulnerabilities, harm indicators and guardianship issues associated with seriously harmed missing children

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