Statistics

There are no definitive statistics for sexual assault in Australia as most victims do not report the assault to the police nor do they access the services provided to assist them(1). The Australian Bureau of Statistic data for 2003 is

VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, By sex, Australia, 2003
VICTIMS
Female 14 892 women 148.8 per 100 000 population
Male 3 255 men 33.0 per 100 000 population
Persons 18 237 persons 91.7 per 100 000 population
(a)Includes victims for whom sex was not specified.
Source: ABS, Recorded Crime - Victims, Australia, 2003
(cat. no. 4510.0), Table 3.(2)

If you press the URL below and then click on the .pdf symbol you should be able to access the ABS statistical overview on sexual assualt for 2004.
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/DetailsPage/4523.02004?OpenDocument
More recent statistics for Australia are divided by state and available athttp://www.abs.gov.au/


In the ten years from 1993 to 2003 the 'victimisation prevalence rate' increased by about a third to 91.7 persons per 100 000.
In the same period there has been a 50% increase in the recorded number of victims from 12 186 to 18 237.
The ABS states that these changes could be due to an increased recognition of assault as a crime, the change in the desire to report sexual assault, changes in recording practices or any of these and not necessarily changes in numbers of incidents(3).

Epidemiological research data from overseas relating to child sexual abuse shows that anywhere from 25% - 30% or even as high as 42% of women under the age of 18 have been sexually abused, 9% repeatedly(4).


(1) Australian Bureau of Statistics 2004 Sexual Assault in Australia: a Statistical Overview 4523.0 ABS Canberra 7th September 2004 pp.14

(2)ibid.pp19

(3)ibid.pp23

(4)Peters,J & Kaye,L 2003 Childhood sexual abuse:a review of its impact on older women entering institutional settings Clinical Gerontologist vol.26 (3/4) pp.29