The number of sexual assault survivors who reported the crime to police has risen for the 12th year in a row, reaching a 31-year high. There were 35,138 victims of sexual assault recorded nationwide in 2023, an increase of 11 per cent on the previous year. The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) issued the new statistics on Thursday, part of a broader release on victims of a range of crimes. The ABS's head of crime and justice statistics Samantha McNally said there had been increases "across almost all states and territories". "Accounting for population growth, the rate of recorded sexual assault victim-survivors has gone up from 126 per 100,000 people last year, to 136 victim-survivors per 100,000 people," she said. New South Wales and Queensland saw the largest increases, rising 19 per cent (2,296 victims) and 14 per cent (1,011 victims) respectively. Women made up 84 per cent, or 30,466, of sexual assault victims. More than a third (38 per cent) were aged between 10-17 years old when the incident were reported, and 41 per cent were aged between 10-17 years old when the incident occurred. Two in five (39 per cent) were related to family and domestic violence (FDV). "There were 14,059 victims of FDV-related sexual assault recorded nationally in 2023, an increase of 18 per cent (2,115)," the ABS report said. "There were 169 victims of FDV-related kidnapping/abductions in 2023, comprising over a third (34 per cent) of all kidnapping/abductions recorded nationally." There were 409 victims of homicides and related offences — including manslaughter, murder and attempted murder — across Australia in 2023, an increase of 20 victims (5 per cent) on the previous year. The most common victims of these offences were men and people aged between 35-44 years old. However when these offences were linked to family and domestic violence, victims were most commonly female (50 per cent) and aged 55 years or over. "There were 157 victims of FDV homicide and related offences recorded nationally in 2023, an increase of 20 per cent (26 victims) from the previous year," the ABS report said. "Accounting for population change, the victimisation rate in 2023 was 0.6 victims per 100,000 persons. Since the time series began in 2014, the victimisation has ranged between 0.4 and 0.7 victims per 100,000 persons. The number of blackmail and extortion victims also increased across Australia by 56 per cent, rising to 3,380 people. New South Wales had the largest increase of 122 per cent (1,029 victims), with Western Australia increasing the second-highest by 64 per cent (137 victims). There were 501 victims of kidnapping/abduction recorded in Australia in 2023, a decrease of 6 victims from the previous year." the ABS report said. "The victimisation rate for kidnapping/abduction remained stable at 2 victims per 100,000 persons. "In 2023, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent increased by 6 per cent (9,649 victims) to 160,885 victims. "However, the number of victims of unlawful entry with intent remained lower than 2019 (173,347 victims), prior to when COVID-19 restrictions were put in place. "There were 60,417 victims of motor vehicle theft recorded in Australia in 2023, an increase of 10 per cent (5,432 victims) from the previous year. This was the highest number of victims of motor vehicle theft in the time series since 2008 (68,262 victims)." Over 370 million girls and women globally subjected to rape or sexual assault as children - UNICEF First-ever estimates on sexual violence in childhood reveal alarming prevalence, with devastating impact on children NEW YORK, 10 October 2024 – More than 370 million girls and women alive today – or 1 in 8 – experienced rape or sexual assault before the age of 18, according to new UNICEF estimates released today. The first-ever global and regional estimates on sexual violence against children – published ahead of the International Day of the Girl – reveal the scale of the violation worldwide, especially for adolescent girls, often with lifelong implications. When ‘non-contact’ forms of sexual violence, such as online or verbal abuse are included, the number of girls and women affected rises to 650 million globally – or 1 in 5, underscoring the urgent need for comprehensive prevention and support strategies to effectively address all forms of violence and abuse. “Sexual violence against children is a stain on our moral conscience,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “It inflicts deep and lasting trauma, often by someone the child knows and trusts, in places where they should feel safe.” Sexual violence against children is pervasive, cutting across geographical, cultural, and economic boundaries, the data show. Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest number of victims, with 79 million girls and women affected (22 per cent), followed by 75 million in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia (8 per cent), 73 million in Central and Southern Asia (9 per cent), 68 million in Europe and Northern America (14 per cent), 45 million in Latin America and the Caribbean (18 per cent), 29 million in Northern Africa and Western Asia (15 per cent), and 6 million in Oceania (34 per cent). In fragile settings such as those with weak institutions, UN peacekeeping forces, or large numbers of refugees fleeing due to political or security crises, girls face an even greater risk, with the prevalence of rape and sexual assault in childhood slightly more than 1 in 4. “Children in fragile settings are especially vulnerable to sexual violence,” said Russell. “We are witnessing horrific sexual violence in conflict zones, where rape and gender-based violence are often used as weapons of war.” According to the data, most childhood sexual violence occurs during adolescence, with a significant spike between ages 14 and 17. Studies show that children who experience sexual violence are more likely to suffer repeated abuse. Implementing targeted interventions during adolescence is crucial to breaking this cycle and mitigating the long-term impacts of such trauma. Survivors often carry the trauma of sexual violence into adulthood, facing higher risks of sexually transmitted diseases, substance abuse, social isolation, and mental health issues like anxiety and depression, as well as challenges in forming healthy relationships. Evidence shows that the impact is further compounded when children delay disclosing their experiences, sometimes for long periods, or keep the abuse secret altogether. Although more girls and women are affected, and their experiences are better documented, boys and men are also impacted, the data show. An estimated 240 to 310 million boys and men – or around 1 in 11 – have experienced rape or sexual assault during childhood. This estimate rises to between 410 and 530 million when non-contact forms are included. Persistent data gaps, particularly on boys’ experiences and non-contact forms of sexual violence, highlight the need for increased investment in data collection to capture the full scale of sexual violence against children. Estimates are based on data from a subset of countries, varying by indicator. The most comprehensive data coverage is on girls' and women’s experiences of contact sexual violence from nationally representative surveys conducted between 2010 and 2022 in 120 countries and areas. As a result of existing data gaps, limited coverage, and the varying scope and quality of the available information, global estimates on non-contact sexual violence and sexual violence against boys and men were informed by a broader range of data sources and applied some indirect methods. An estimated 2.2 million women aged 18 years and over (22%) have experienced sexual violence since the age of 15. UN expert alarmed by new emerging exploitative practices of online child sexual abuseGENEVA (5 February 2024) – A UN expert today warned of the urgent need to put children’s rights at the heart of the development and regulation of the internet and new digital products. Ahead of Safer Internet Day, the UN Special Rapporteur on sale and sexual exploitation of children, Mama Fatima Singhateh, issued the following statement: “The internet and digital platforms can be a double-edged sword for children and young people. It can allow them to positively interact and further develop as autonomous human beings, claiming their own space. While also facilitate age-inappropriate content and online sexual harms of children by adults and peers. The boom in generative AI and eXtended Reality is constantly evolving and facilitating the harmful production and distribution of child sexual abuse and exploitation in the digital dimension, with new exploitative activities such as the deployment of end-to-end encryption without built-in safety mechanisms, computer-generated imagery (CGI) including deepfakes and deepnudes, and on-demand live streaming and eXtended Reality (XR) of child sexual abuse and exploitation material. Although access does not determine the value that children and young people derive from the Internet and digital products, the volume of reported child sexual abuse material has increased by 87% since 2019, according to WeProtect Global Alliance’s Global Threat Assessment 2023. A review of numerous studies, publications and reports has revealed the intensification of manifestations of harm and exposure of online child sexual abuse and exploitation, both in terms of scale and method. It includes the risk of child sexual abuse and exploitation material, grooming and soliciting children for sexual purposes, online sexual harassment, intimate image abuse, financial sexual extortion and the use of technology-assisted child sexual abuse and exploitation material. The private sector and the technology industry have proven to be less reliable than they claim to be, with serious ingrained biases, flaws in programming and surveillance software to detect child abuse, failure to crack down on child sexual abuse and exploitation networks, layoffs and cuts to community safety teams and workers. These practices and failings risk relentless repetition of trauma, secondary victimisation and systemic harm to individuals, including children. While it is commendable that there has been increased political commitment, prioritisation and engagement on the use of ICTs and new technologies at the international level. Many legislative and regulatory efforts at national, regional and international levels seeking to address these problems present additional human rights risks due to insufficient integration of human rights considerations, gender-responsive and child-sensitive approaches. Against this backdrop, States and companies must all work together and invest in solving this problem, and include children’s, victims’, survivors’ and relevant stakeholders’ voices in the design and development of ethical digital products to foster a safer online environment. This responsibility must be immediately embraced across society. I welcome the Secretary-General’s AI Advisory Body’s mandate to make recommendations for the establishment of an international agency for the governance and coordination of AI. Despite these positive initiatives, there is an urgent imperative to scale up efforts and connect through a core multilateral instrument dedicated exclusively to eradicating child sexual abuse and exploitation online, addressing the complexity of these phenomena and taking a step forward to protect children in the digital dimension. I stand ready to support States, international and regional mechanisms and other stakeholders in building a common framework and global alliance for safer and more accountable technology governance. It is now clear that greater and joint cooperation is needed to ensure a safer Internet for all children around the world. Commitments must go beyond paper.” $10 million settlement reached in clergy child sexual abuse case in Orange, LA counties. The Diocese of Orange and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have reached a combined $10 million settlement in a clergy child sex abuse case involving two of Orange County’s most notorious predators, attorneys with a high-profile sexual abuse law firm announced on Friday, Jan. 26. The settlement — which includes $9.5 million from the Diocese of Orange and $500,000 from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles — heads off what was expected to be among the first to go to trial of a massive wave of lawsuits filed against Roman Catholic dioceses statewide by now-adult survivors who were given a three-year window under state law to file civil complaints regarding decades-old abuse. It is believed to be the single largest settlement received by an individual against a religious organization, said attorney Morgan Stewart, whose Irvine-based firm — Manly, Stewart & Finaldi — represents more than 200 alleged clergy sexual abuse victims across the state. “This is demonstrative of the acknowledgment of their failures,” Stewart said of the church leaders. “Our client wanted this resolved and wanted it resolved at a number that recognized their responsibility and harm.” Asked for comment about the settlement, Diocese of Orange officials said their “foremost goal has been to address these cases and offer support and healing to all those affected… “While we do not comment on settlement details, it is important to note that the allegations in this case date back more than 40 years and do not reflect the Diocese of Orange as it stands today nor capture our extensive efforts over the past two decades to ensure the safety of children and vulnerable adults and prevent future abuse,” Diocese of Orange Spokesman Jarryd Gonzales said. “The Diocese of Orange deeply regrets any past incidences of sexual abuse, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults and supporting those suffering.” Officials with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles did not respond to a request for comment. The lawsuit centered on the actions of Father Eleuterio Ramos, who before his death admitted to sexually assaulting more than two dozen boys during a decades-long career that included stops in multiple parishes in Orange County, along with Father Siegfried Widera, who at the time of his death was one of the most wanted sex crime fugitives in North America. The plaintiff in the lawsuit described being molested by Ramos beginning at the the age of 5 in 1979 or 1980 when he was a minor parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Santa Ana. He was later sexually abused by Widera around 1984 and 1985, when he was about 10 years old, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit also brought to light new evidence that the victim’s attorneys described as bolstering their long-held contention that church leaders at the time knew about the sexual abuse of minors and actively covered it up. The attorneys previously filed a sworn statement by a now-retired alcohol counselor who worked at a treatment center for clergy members in Massachusetts in the 1970s and 1980s. Father Ramos was admitted to the center after Diocese or Orange leaders referred him for treatment related to alcoholism and “sexual impulses related to sexual abuse of minors,” the counselor wrote in the statement. The diocese leaders also overruled the counselor’s recommendation that Ramos not be placed back into the ministry, the counselor wrote in her statement. The counselor added that she learned it was common practice at the time for Bishops who referred priests to treatment for abuse of minors to then move those priests to other parishes or churches upon their return. Victims’ attorneys say such actions by church leaders served to hide abusers like Ramos and kept them out of the view of law enforcement. Diocese of Orange officials say they have since created a “comprehensive safe-environment system,” including requiring that clergy, employees and volunteers undergo fingerprinting, background checks and “recurring safe environment training.” The combined impact of the new wave of sexual abuse lawsuits on the various dioceses is yet to be seen. Roughly 2,000 Southern California childhood sexual abuse cases involving the Catholic church filed during the three-year window — including around 200 related to the Diocese of Orange — are still working their way through the court system. Those involving the Diocese of Orange and the Archdiocese of Los Angeles have been consolidated and assigned to a Los Angeles judge. A little less than two decades ago, a previous wave of similar lawsuits ended with settlements before jury trials, including a $100 million settlement by the Diocese of Orange covering 90 cases followed by a $660 million settlement by the Los Angeles Archdiocese involving 508 cases. The new wave of lawsuits has already led several other dioceses in California to either file for bankruptcy or consider doing so, including the Diocese of Santa Rosa, the Diocese of Oakland and the San Francisco Archdiocese. Leaders of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles and the Diocese of Orange have given no indication that they are considering similar plans.
He touched me and he touched me and he touched me and he held me down, he said we were playing a game, and he held me down and he put his hand into mine, he opened me like an orange, digging his hands under the skin. He pulled my insides out, he put himself inside me and rubbed me until I bled and bled. So much blood. It hurt. And he took me into the bath and he washed me off, took the red off of my skin, touched me like he loved me, touched me like it never happened. I was a lonely child. Pathetic. And he hurt me. It still hurts. It still hurts.
Settlement Amounts of Sex Abuse Lawsuits. This page is about settlement amounts in sex abuse civil lawsuits. We look at jury awards and settlement compensation in other sex abuse lawsuits, including 2022-2024 verdicts and reported settlements. Our sex abuse lawyers handle these cases in all 50 states. If you are a victim of sexual assault or abuse, call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us confidentially online. Our sex abuse lawyers can help you get the compensation and justice you deserve for what you have been through. The Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme sees thousands of Pacific Islanders come to Australia on temporary visas to work in sectors needing labour. Lia came to work as a picker at a grower's glasshouse about 50 kilometres north of Adelaide. She was an employee of one of Australia's biggest fruit and vegetable producers, Perfection Fresh. The glasshouse's transparent walls let heat and light in to encourage growth, but for Lia and other workers, it felt like a place shrouded in secrecy, where intimidation and abuse was rampant. A case brought to the Federal Court by 12 workers alleges the group was subject to persistent sexual harassment. Lia says she and the other workers were left devastated by the alleged abuse. "I was walking back to my accommodation one time when one of the ni-Vanuatu drivers came by and asked, 'What happened to you?'" she says. But the group's fight for justice is being lauded as a possible catalyst for change in an industry where the exploitation of temporary migrants is rife. The case is still before the Federal Court and the parties have been in mediation for months, with the next meeting due in early August. Experts point out that it's rare for such cases to be brought forward, let alone resolved positively for the complainants. They also say the PALM scheme has extra protections that many other temporary migrants don't have — and that if other visa holders had them, many more cases would come to light. Documents filed in the Federal Court and seen by the ABC allege the workers were subjected to repeated harassment. They say two men made repeated unwanted sexual advances. Among dozens of accusations, the first man is alleged to have approached one woman while she was picking fruit and forcibly put his hands down her pants. In another instance it's claimed he said to one woman while exposing himself, "can you have a feel of it? Is it different to your husband's?" Another woman says the same man forcibly pulled her hands towards his exposed genitals before she was able to break free and escape. She says he also repeatedly exposed himself, asking her to touch or suck his penis. The court documents say the second man is alleged to have grabbed the women's breasts and placed his hands between one worker's legs, among other accusations. Lia and other workers, who spoke exclusively to the ABC's The Pacific, say Perfection Fresh ignored and discouraged their complaints. "But when we were in Australia, when this harassment was taking place … most of the women were scared. "We didn't expect it to be like this, but it happened." The women say it was delegates from the United Workers Union (UWU) who helped inform them of their rights and empowered them to speak up against the alleged abuse. With the help of the union, the women are seeking nearly $4 million in compensation and damages. In the court documents, Perfection Fresh says it launched an investigation after being made aware of the allegations against the first man. The investigation substantiated some of the allegations and Perfection Fresh terminated the first man's employment. When complaints were made about the second man, he resigned a month later after another investigation was started. Perfection Fresh argues it is not liable for the alleged actions of the two men, saying it didn't aid or permit the conduct. In a statement, Perfection Fresh told the ABC it took the complaints "very seriously". "In both cases, Perfection Fresh took immediate steps to remove the persons accused of sexual harassment from the workplace and to investigate the matters raised. In both cases, the employment of the accused person came to an end," a spokesperson said. "Perfection Fresh acknowledges the very serious nature of the complaints and the impact of the alleged conduct on the women involved … we remain committed to providing a safe workplace for all workers. "In terms of the ongoing proceedings, we are participating in a mediation with the UWU and remain hopeful of reaching a resolution." The women say the pursuit of justice seemed daunting. Melinda*, another of the ni-Vanuatu workers, described a feeling of powerlessness. "Being in another country, it hurts, especially knowing we can't speak out, because English is not our first language," she says. Norms in their own culture also discourage discussion about sexual harassment. Lia says her husband was a huge support, but she still struggled with being open about her experiences. "I have to balance myself, not to bring shame to my family, my community, and I kept quiet until all the girls were talking [about what happened]." The group also say they were told if they pursued the matter, they would not be able to return to work at the premises. Perfection Fresh did not respond directly to a question from the ABC about this allegation. The women say it wasn't until they realised they were all being subject to similar abuse that they began to speak out more forcefully. Encouraged by the union, Lia led the group to take action against their employer. UWU farm sector director Caterina Cinanni says the case is unique in some ways "I think one of the things that makes this case significant is the level of threats and intimidation that's been put in front of these workers since 2016, about not speaking up, not belonging to the union," she says. Laurie Berg, co-executive director of the Migrant Justice Institute, says there is a "cycle of impunity" when it comes to the abuse of migrant workers. "One of the biggest factors that we've found that exacerbates exploitation is the fact that migrant workers often don't report mistreatment when it occurs," she says. "They're afraid that if they cause trouble, or even if they don't report their employer, then they might lose that sponsorship by the employer and with it their visa and ability to stay in Australia." The United Workers Union has assisted the women in building a case and supported them to come back to access justice. Lia says when they "all travelled back to Adelaide to go to the Federal Court, I think the women were really scared". "They were telling me as we were walking towards the courthouse, it was scary because we were in another country, going into the courthouse to speak with lawyers and speaking another language." There is hope the case can prove a turning point for the protection of migrant workers, and not just those in the PALM scheme. In fact, Dr Berg says the protections afforded PALM workers, who are tied to a single employer known by the Department of Home Affairs and the Department of Employment, are greater than those for other temporary visas. "For international students or backpackers where there's no record of the place that they're working, it's much harder to conduct oversight of their employment," she says. The 12 women, 11 of whom are from Vanuatu, say they've found strength from each other. They've since formed a group, the Perfection Twelve, and recorded songs about their experience in the hope of raising awareness for other vulnerable workers. Melinda says "it's hard to express, but we can smile and believe that the union will help us achieve what we are fighting for". "To make sure that all the young ladies that come to Australia, no matter what country you come from, you'll have better protection." Ms Cinanni says the group has become "braver and braver, and more determined to seek justice". "They're actually determined to have the fight to make it a permanent change for every single woman in that glasshouse, and to stand up as the role model across the sector to say, 'anyone can do this, and you can win'," she says. Melinda says she feels "very proud". "Because we're not standing alone, we believe that through the dark we'll see a bright light at the tunnel in the end."