Rates of sexual offences being reported on NSW school grounds are skyrocketing

Sexual offences in NSW schools are on the rise with one of the country’s leading experts in the field stating that access to pornographic material is contributing to the surge.

More than 1000 children were allegedly victims of sexual offences on school grounds last year, a massive 55 per cent increase on the previous 12 months but “just the tip of the iceberg” according to a sexual assault expert.

The latest figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) reveal a shocking rise in school-based sexual offences over the past decade.

Sexual assault advocacy group Full Stop Australia chief executive Hayley Foster said she’s been trying to “sound the alarm on” this for several years.

The number of victims of offences such as sexual touching and sexual acts at NSW schools rose from 721 in 2021 to 1121 in 2022. The number has steadily increased in the past decade, with 312 victims recorded in 2012.

Worryingly, among the record high number of sexual offences on school grounds this year there were 326 alleged victims of sexual assault recorded by police – more than double the 160 victims recorded in 2021.

Hayley Foster the CEO of sexual assault survivor advocacy group Full Stop Australia. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Foster said while better education and awareness had led to higher reporting rates; the impact of pornography could not be understated.

“There are serious numbers of young people, particularly girls and LGBTQI youth, experiencing sexual violence in high rates,” she said.

“We can’t have this conversation without talking about the availability and nature of the pornography children as young as nine or 10 are freely accessing on their devices.

“Problematic, harmful behaviour is being normalised and young people are being traumatised by those experiences, which have serious and often lifelong impacts.

“We need widespread, respectful relationship education specifically dealing with consent so young people aren’t relying on pornography for their sex education.”

Of the 1121 alleged sexual offences at the state’s schools recorded by police in 2022, just 34 victims were over 18. There were 615 female victims and the rest male or other genders.

The statistics point to concerning rates of school sexual offences in Western Sydney.

“I’m not surprised by the demographics,” Ms Foster said. “That’s not to say this doesn’t happen in affluent areas – it does – but there’s certainly a sense that expectations and norms are changing more in affluent circles than in areas where there’s more disadvantage.”

The BOCSAR data covers offences at both public and private, primary and secondary schools across the state and incidents may have occurred outside school hours.

In 2022 legal action was taken against just 62 perpetrators. Sixty were male.

Commander of the NSW Police Force Child Abuse Squad Linda Howlett said police worked closely with the education department and other agencies to deal with incidents of problematic and harmful sexualised behaviour.

“We know that sometimes students are more comfortable confiding in a teacher or school counsellor, and we are encouraged that more are coming forward to report incidents,” she said.

“Some child offenders don’t realise that what they’re doing is a criminal offence – whether it’s taking photos or touching in an inappropriate manner – so we need to get them to understand the boundaries of what’s inappropriate and what’s criminal.”

Detective Superintendent Howlett said depending on the age of the child, and the offending, perpetrators were dealt with in a range of ways - from counselling through to criminal charges.

An education department spokesman said consent education was introduced into the curriculum for senior years in 2020.

“NSW public schools are some of the safest places in our community,” he said.

“In any instance of an allegation of sexual assault, we work closely with police, parents or carers, and relevant authorities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all students involved.

“Schools and staff undertake mandatory training on child protection and their reporting obligations. All allegations of sexual assault and harassment must be reported to police.”

Full Stop Australia 1800 385 578

Originally published as Rates of sexual offences being reported on NSW school grounds are skyrocketing