Harmful sexual behaviour observed in children is a taboo subject. No-one wants to talk about these behaviours when they see them in their own child, or others, with many parents, carers, teachers and service providers unsure how best to respond.
The Commissioner for Children and Young People believes the South Australian government must invest resources into primary, secondary, and tertiary interventions that ensure timely and appropriate responses to children who are displaying or engaging in harmful sexual behaviours (HSB) toward themselves or others.
The interventions should be therapeutic, non-stigmatising and accessible. This is in-line with the recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (RCIRCSA) undertaken in 2017.