Family sexual abuse rates are soaring during the pandemic, damning new figures show

There has been a disturbing spike in sexual violence within families, with victims forced into isolation with their abusers. TRIGGER WARNING

Sex assaults within families have soared during the Covid pandemic, new research shows.

Family sexual assaults have soared 13 per cent during the Covid-19 pandemic as victims are trapped at home with rapists, shocking new statistics show. 

Sexual abuse between parents, children, siblings and other relatives rose at a rate six times faster in 2020 than in the two years prior to the pandemic, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) revealed on Thursday. 

Police across Australia recorded domestic violence sexual assaults against 10,162 Australians last year – 13 per cent more than in 2019. 

Most victims were girls or teenagers, with three quarters of victims younger than 19, and 86 per cent of them female. 

DV groups have warned that lockdowns and restrictions are fuelling domestic violence, trapping victims with highly stressed and violent abusers.

Women’s Safety NSW has warned that government-imposed lockdowns “forced many vulnerable people into isolation with abusers, leading to a surge in domestic violence cases’’.

Family sexual violence is increasing during the pandemic. Photo: istock

“In addition to women being kept at home with violent perpetrators, factors such as the presence of children at home due to school closures, limited court availability, border closures, and limited access to essential supplies added to the complexity of client issues,’’ it warned the ongoing federal parliamentary inquiry into family violence.

Domestic Violence Victoria told the inquiry that “opportunities for perpetrators to isolate, monitor and control victim-survivors have exponentially increased’’ as a result of lockdowns.

“At the same time, many protective factors, such as contact with family and friends and the ability to leave the home and family violence to go to work, school or access child care, have all but vanished,’’ it stated.

“The closure of businesses and loss of jobs over an extended period of time, has meant that these risk factors for family violence during this disaster are likely to be more acute.’’

Legal Aid Queensland warned the inquiry that some abusers have threatened to infect family members with Covid-19, and used social isolation rules to “control’’ victims and prevent them fleeing.

“Legal and social support for the most vulnerable has been profoundly affected by isolation in that it has been more difficult to connect with clients,’’ it stated.

“Queensland Parole Board data indicates that there have been 40 per cent return to prisons from January to April (2020) for suspensions of parole due to domestic and family violence matters.’’

The ABS statistics show that thefts and break-ins have fallen by a quarter since the start of the pandemic, while car theft is down 17 per cent.

“This decrease in property crime coincided with the introduction of restrictions put in place to stop the spread of COVID-19,’’ ABS director of crime and justice statistics, William Milne, said.

Those who need help are urged to call triple-0 in an emergency.

DV Connect 1800 811 811

Mens Helpline 1800 600 636

Sexual Assault Helpline 1800 010 120