In 2022 SafeCare embarked on a long-term research agenda in response to the need for deeper research into the causes and effective treatment of child sexual abuse offending as one of the best methods of prevention  of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) and Child Exploitation Material (CEM) offending.

Prevalence and Long-Term Effects of Child Sexual Abuse

It is widely accepted that, in Australia:

• One-in-four girls experience sexual abuse before the age of 18,
• At least one-in-eight boys have similarly been abused,
• Over 90% of this abuse occurs within the family context – not by strangers or in institutions, and
• Viewing of child exploitation material online is rapidly increasing.

The figure for boys is a likely underestimation as it is more difficult to get an accurate picture of the incidence of CSA in boys because there are far fewer retrospective studies of men than of women. The existing research also indicates that there is a marked reluctance by men to recognise or disclose their own abusive childhood sexual experiences.

Without effective therapeutic support, sexually abused children may grow-up to:

• Suffer chronic mental illness including grief, anxiety and depression,
• Adopt self-destructive behaviours such as alcohol, drugs, gambling and risk-taking to deaden their inner pain, and
• Have dysfunctional intimate relationships that lead to further emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

In some cases, childhood sexual abuse may lead children themselves repeating the behaviour as adolescents and adults; often without them having any recollection or understanding of the underlying cause of their actions. Even when they do remember, they do not always regard the events as abuse, but often as privileged or special moments of intimacy in a context of neglect or rejection.

SafeCare research agenda

In 2022 SafeCare established a Research and Ethical Practice Committee (REPC) to lead an active research agenda into the future. The organisation and its associates have over 36 years of data collected from over 1000 male offenders and their families. From the very beginning SafeCare has collected client data and most remains untouched. Since then safeCare has been working closely with the Universityof Western Australia and others  to further this agenda.

The organisation recognises that a comprehensive research program is the best way for the organisation to demonstrate the effectiveness of its treatment and support programs. It is also well aware of the lack of comprehensive research into the underlying causes of CSA and effective methods of prevention. Furthermore, the organisation understands that it holds a globally unique and detailed body of data on a large cohort of CSA offenders.

As a first concrete step, in 2025 SafeCare undertook Stage 1 of the Client Data Extraction and Collation Project which establishes a governance and practical framework for the digitisation, extraction and collation of the first 20 years of client files. The REPC is guiding the process of collating, de-identifying existing data and preparing it for analysis as well as preparing the framework for a fresh program of data collection and analysis of existing and new clients. The outputs of Stage One of the Client Data Extraction & Collation Project include:

• A Data Set Template for extracting the data from the client files,
• A Data Dictionary to standardise the meaning of terms used when collating data,
• A SafeCare History Timeline of the internal and external context in which SafeCare has operated, in particular, changes to the programs offered and the clients attending SafeCare over the years,
• A comprehensive Data Governance Framework to manage existing and future data held by SafeCare, and
• A Stage 2 Outline that identifies the next steps required to actually collate and extract the data from the existing client files, implement data collection processes on new clients and propose research partnerships.

Data Governance Framework

A core feature of the current Stage One Project is the development of a comprehensive data governance framework. The framework will delineate how SafeCare will manages its data on into the future including policies, processes, and roles. It ensures data quality, security, compliance, and accessibility, ultimately improving data reliability and value. Adoption and implementation of the framework will lead to the appointment of a ‘data custodian’ who will manage all aspects of the data governance framework. Expert advice is being sought to ensure a robust framework is designed and implemented.

Human Research Ethics

SafeCare has always been aware of the highly sensitive nature of the data it has collected from its clients. The research that has been conducted on this data in the past has received human ethic approval and the organisation is cognisant of the need for Human Research Ethics approval for university involvement in wider research work with SafeCare data. University Ethic committee approval has been achieved in past Masters and Honours theses as recently as 2022 and further approvals will be sought in collaboration with our research partners.

WA-Based Research Centre

It is envisaged that the WA Centre for Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Research would be established within the UWA School of Population and Global Health to ensure that it has a public health approach to its research rather than a criminal justice slant. It is expected that its work would focus on research aimed at understanding offending behaviour, the factors that contributed to the offending and what can be done help offenders to stop.

For instance, initially the Centre may choose to focus on research questions provoked by the data extracted from the 20 years (1989-2009) of SafeCare client files such as identification of the factors leading to offending in the first instance and recidivism after completion of the SafeCare Treatment Program. This research may require development of research partnerships with key WA government departments such as Dept. Child Protection, WA Police and Dept. of Justice. Further work on SafeCare’s data may then lead to deeper research questions such as what factors cause offenders to cease offending and how can programs be developed that enhance positive behavioural change.

The ongoing work of SafeCare and its associates also presents an opportunity for real-time pro-active research built around the work with current and future clients.

Rationale for Establishing a WA Centre

For many years, successive WA Governments, adopted a less draconian attitude and more of a public health approach to CSA offenders that, in 1989, led to the establishment of SAIF – Sexual Assault in Families as SafeCare was then known. Despite a change in government, introduction of a Mandatory reporting of CSA and SafeCare’s loss of funding, the organisation continues to offer an effective treatment and ongoing support program to offenders and family members.

There are very few places anywhere else in the world that offer treatment to offenders. Some years ago, Cedar Cottage in New South Wales offered a treatment program for CSA offenders engaged with the criminal justice system. New Zealand has an ongoing program that provides some treatment and supervision of adolescent offenders. Since 2005 the Prevention Project Dunkelfeld (PPD) in Germany has offered strongly-backed and government-funded clinical and support services to people who are sexually attracted to children and want help controlling their sexual urges, but are otherwise unknown to the legal authorities.

SafeCare, having been established and continuing to operate in WA for the last 36 years, with a unique philosophical ethos and treatment model as well as large untapped reservoir of client data is, therefore, keen to develop partnerships with UWA and other tertiary institutions to embark on an ongoing research program.

Opportunities for Interfaculty and Cross Institutional Collaboration

It is expected that it would form strong linkages between disciplines across the University, particularly with the Law School’s Children’s Online Safety and Privacy Research (COSPR) and with the School of Psychological Science.

The Centre is also likely to form close working collaborations and perhaps partnerships with Swinburne University of Technology’s Prof. James Ogloff, Prof. Kelly Richards, QUT, and researchers at other tertiary institutions as well as develop international connections with Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine at the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin that still manages the Prevention Project Dunkelfeld.

Distinct Approach to CSA Research in Australia

The clear distinction between the work proposed of the WA Centre for CSA Research and other research being carried out in Australia would be its ability to access the unique historic SafeCare client data and potential for an ongoing collaborative prospective research partnership with SafeCare well into the future.

A brief literature review appears to show that, currently, there is limited research across the world, and almost none in Australia, to better understand the factors that lead to a person offending and what can be done to truly prevent that person from further offending. Prevention programs are largely aimed at keeping children safe from offenders or teaching children to keep themselves safe. This arises from the view of the ‘predator offender’ and fails to understand that the vast majority of offending occurs within family settings.

The WA Centre would have the opportunity to make a significant contribution to the understanding of causes of CSA, the motivation of offenders to offend and to stop offending and may lead to far better methods of prevention through treatment of the root causes the offending.

Funding the Centre

It is acknowledged that a dedicated research centre would require significant financial, infrastructure and other resources, however, it is anticipated that, once established it would be able to attract research grants and other financial support from across Australia and potentially overseas such as ARC grants, philanthropies which have a child safety focus or which have an interest in improving public health outcomes.

In the last year or so, SafeCare has been able to attract a number of  large donations from individuals who have a passionate interest in supporting effective CSA treatment and prevention strategies. These donations have enabled SafeCare to fund Stage One of the Client Data Extraction & Collation Project. An initial meeting with senior staff at Lotterywest also opened the door to SafeCare seeking that organisation’s financial backing for a comprehensive research undertaking. SafeCare will soon consider how best to proceed with its approach to Lotterywest. Partnership with other key stakeholders will be looked on favourably with agencies such as Lotterywest.

Next Steps & Conclusion

Work is continuing on the progressing its agenda and further updates will be posted on this page of the website throughout 2026.