Research

Documenting how judges explain child sexual abuse (CSA) perpetration is an important task as sentencing decisions are in formed by their explanatory understandings. Despite this, the research into judges’ explanations for CSA perpetration is piecemeal and dated. Moreover, some of…

Background Adolescents who engage in harmful sexual behaviours (AHSB) represent a heterogeneous group with complex developmental, psychosocial, and family characteristics. Existing national-level data of these characteristics remains limited, particularly outside North America and Europe. Objective This study aimed to provide…

The vision is clear – a future where survivors are met with helpful social responses that affirm their inherent dignity and worth, respect their autonomy, support healing and social change. Download PDF

The Roundtable on the Intersections of Child Sexual Abuse, Suicidality, and Violence was held in September 2025 as part of a joint project between Survivors & Mates Support Network (SAMSN), Griffith University’s Disrupting Violence Beacon (DVB), and the ARC Centre…

Recent research recording Australian service providers observations on male survivors help seeking behaviours revealed that readiness, willingness and commitment are key factors in the help seeking decision. Prior research has indicated significant delays in the help-seeking of male victim-survivors who…

NZ research on the support needs of male survivors identifies three key issues – lack of awareness of male survivors, the need to clarify formal support services and the need for a diverse range of support modalities The sexual abuse and assault of…

Large research scoping study leaves no doubt about the benefits of peer support in supporting the recovery of young people suffering from mental health conditions. Peer support has increasingly been integrated into youth mental health programs globally. Peer support workers…

Male child sexual abuse is over-represented in institutional settings. This realization has increasingly come into public focus in recent decades initially through lived experience, often with male survivors’ stories told in the media and subsequently through court cases and government…

This is not the report I expected to submit when I was applying for a Churchill Fellowship. I thought I would be writing a relatively technical, academic document aimed primarily at commissioners and funders of support services for people who…

Research on barriers that exist for male victims/survivors of sexual abuse in relation to disclosing their experiences is limited. This article shares qualitative data in relation to disclosure and helpseeking barriers encountered by male victims/survivors of female-perpetrated sexual abuse. Findings…

Inclusion of service users in the design and delivery of mental health services is clearly articulated throughout Australian mental health action plans and stated as an expectation within contemporary mental health policy. International and local Australian research demonstrates benefits for…

A recent comprehensive review of the international literature regarding the use of peer support services in the mental health sector affirms the principles and practices embodied in the Purposeful Peer Support Aotearoa. The scoping review of the international literature was…