Mothers main perpetrators of child abuse and neglect, new research shows

Mothers are responsible for 60 per cent of child abuse cases, new research shows. But there’s a dark irony behind this finding.

Men are most frequently linked to family violence but when it comes to cases of child abuse and neglect, the statistics are skewed towards mothers over fathers, research shows.

However, it is parents who themselves have experienced abuse or neglect as children who are most likely to become abusers, an Adelaide academic says.

“Children whose mothers have been the subject of substantiated child abuse or neglect have 10 times the risk of being the subject of substantiated child abuse themselves, and nearly 20 times the risk of being removed into out-of-home care, due to imminent and serious safety concerns,” said UniSA’s Professor Leonie Segal.

UniSA Professor Leonie Segal, far right, pictured with Commissioner for Children and Young People Helen Connolly and Chief Child Protection Officer Catherine Turnbull in August 2021. Picture: Michael Marschall

“If we look at studies that have been done both in Australia and overseas, we find that 60 per cent of the time, the perpetrator (of child abuse) is the mother.

“Yet the terrible irony is that these mothers are likely to have been abused themselves when they were children.

“Essentially, what the research is showing us is that anybody, boys and girls, males and females, who have had a traumatic childhood, will be affected … if they’ve been abused, neglected and brought up in a highly distressing, unsafe, and disturbing environment, their thinking and behaviours are impacted with increased risk of violence.”

Prof Segal said it was not about “pointing fingers” but understanding that a parent who was abused as a child was more at risk of being unable to provide a safe space for their own child – with the abuse carried forward into the next generation.

She said the focus needed to move away from stopgap crisis responses to breaking the intergenerational cycle of abuse.

“Family violence is an uncomfortable reality of our society, and despite greater attention and numerous programs, the data does not suggest homes are (becoming) any safer,” she said.

“We have to acknowledge that children aren’t always safe with their mums, or their dads.

“If you have (a parent) who is very distressed, who has a serious drug or alcohol addiction … it (can) be difficult for them to do the right thing by their child.”

Parents who were abused as children are less likely to be able to provide a safe space for their own child.

Prof Segal said more than 20 per cent of the population was affected by family violence in its different forms with between 50,000 and 100,000 children abused or neglected in Australia each year.

“(It) impacts every aspect of a person’s life, from their physical and mental health to their education, ability to interact with people, employment, and even criminal involvement,” she said.

“Part of the story is, how do we understand where disturbed behaviour is mostly coming from so we can respond much more compassionately and comprehensively?

“Our priority must be ensuring little children who are living in homes that are really chaotic and destructive get the support they need, so they grow and develop … and have a capacity to function in society without lashing out.

“We need to better support infants, children and young people exposed to child abuse and neglect as a key component of any strategy for the prevention of family violence.”