@article{ref1,
title="Technology-facilitated sexual assault in children and adolescents; is there a cause for concern? Fourteen years of experience at a metropolitan forensic paediatric medical service",
journal="Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health",
year="2021",
author="Rowse, Janine and Mullane, Siobhan and Bassed, Richard and Tully, Joanna",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="AIM: To quantify and characterise sexual assaults occurring after 12-17-year-old children connect with an alleged offender online (technology-facilitated sexual assault: TFSA) examined at a paediatric forensic medical service in Melbourne, Australia between 2014 and 2020. To compare these findings to a previous 7-year audit (2007-2013) to determine if there has been an increase in TFSA over the last 14 years. <br><br>METHODS: A retrospective audit was undertaken of medical records of children aged 12-17 who underwent forensic medical examinations at the Victorian Forensic Paediatric Medical Service following an allegation of sexual assault, between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2020. Cases identified as being technology facilitated were further analysed. <br><br>RESULTS from 2014 to 2020 7-year cohort were then compared to an existing audit over the preceding 7-year period (2007-2013). <br><br>RESULTS: Of 515 sexual assault cases between 2014 and 2020, 70 (14%) victims reported connecting with the offender on a technological platform, compared to 4% of cases between 2007 and 2013. In 2019 and 2020, TFSA comprised almost one-fifth of caseload. Of the 70 TFSA cases, the majority occurred at the first face-to-face meeting following a variable period of online communication. Approximately one-third of TFSA's occurred at the offender's residence, and another third in a public place (park, public toilets). Technological platforms used evolved over the 14-year study period. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The proportion of TFSA caseload seen at an Australian paediatric forensic medical service increased over the last 14 years, with common characteristics to these sexual assaults suggested.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1034-4810",
doi="10.1111/jpc.15724",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15724"
}