Understanding Child Sexual Exploitation in Australia
An Empirical Contribution to the Evidence Base
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 7149491 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Sophie Hallett (0000-0001-7792-4453, Cardiff University Cardiff Wales UK, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pages | 920-928 |
| Publication date | 2025-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Children & Society (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0951-0605 • E-ISSN: 1099-0860 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1111/chso.12961 |
| OpenAlex | W4408974346 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
Attention has been given to child sexual exploitation (CSE) internationally yet there is limited evidence about the issue deriving from Australian contexts, particularly so for understanding this form of sexual abuse. This qualitative study explored CSE from the perspectives of child protection and out‐of‐home caseworkers ( N = 15) from across three regional offices of one large state government district department in Australia. The aim was to provide an empirical contribution to the Australian evidence base in order to progress understanding of CSE, and to support policy and practice developments regarding its conceptualisation and definition for effective prevention and intervention. Analysis indicates three victimisation pathways for sexual exploitation, organised around (unmet) need and perpetrator gain, with no single perpetrator type. Family, relationships, living circumstances and statutory care involvement are important domains for ‘risks’ that coalesce to inform vulnerability to sexual exploitation, while also being significant in their own right. Findings suggest an urgent need for a shared definition in policy and practice directions in Australia that accounts for multiple models of CSE victimisation, and which recognises the centrality of unmet need to non‐commercial CSE vulnerability and abuse. This paper therefore also contributes to emerging critical debate about the particularities of sexual exploitation as a form of a sexual abuse, and the need to retain its definitional distinction as exploitation for effective response strategies
Criminology · Empirical evidence · Epistemology · Geography · Sociology · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Homelessness and Social Issues · Psychology · Sex work and related issues
Vulnerability and Young People
Young People and Sexual Exploitation
Making sense of child sexual exploitation
Toward a Global Definition and Understanding of Child Sexual Exploitation
Preventing Harmful Sexual Behaviour and Child Sexual Exploitation for children & young people living in residential care
Respecting Sexual Safety
What is known about child sexual exploitation in residential care in Australia? A systematic scoping review
Vulnerability and child sexual exploitation
What promotes engagement in formal and informal help relationships? Perspectives of commercially sexually exploited youth
Young people's views on safety and preventing abuse and harm in residential care
Giving a voice to adolescents in residential care
Recommendations to improve out of home care from youth who have experienced commercial sexual exploitation
Responding to child sexual exploitation in Australia
Young Women, Local Authority Care and Selling Sex
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |