Not funding evidence-based services for child sexual abuse survivors is a false economy. "Pegasus Economics estimates that if the impacts of child abuse (sexual, emotional and physical) on an estimated 3.7 million adults are adequately addressed through active timely and comprehensive intervention, the combined budget position of all Governments could be improved by a minimum of $6.8 billion annually. In the population of adult survivors of childhood trauma more broadly i.e. a figure of 5 million adults, this estimate rises to $9.1 billion. These figures represent a combined effect of higher Government expenditure and foregone tax revenue.
If adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse experienced the same life outcomes as nontraumatised adults, the collective budget deficits of Australian governments would be improved, at a minimum, by an amount roughly equivalent to the entire Government outlay on tertiary education. These estimates, based on a conservative set of assumptions, indicate extraordinary cost savings. On different, but still plausible assumptions, the annual budgetary cost of unresolved childhood trauma could be as high as $24 billion.
A convenient and failsafe pathway to treatment – `no wrong door’
Frontline practitioners: General Practitioners and nurse practitioners will, on a daily basis, inevitably see people who have been impacted by childhood trauma (every physician will see several patients with high Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) scores each day’ (Felitti, 2010:78) Thus there are multiple and ongoing opportunities to facilitate a process whereby the presenting person can start receiving appropriate support. Such support may be direct or via targeted referral (including specialist counselling/therapy, ideally from an accredited practitioner).
Primary care practitioners need knowledge and skills to respond appropriately to patient disclosure of childhood trauma or abuse. They also need to be attuned to the possibility of such a history in the patients they see. This is because the topic may not be raised directly by patients themselves, and potential signs of it may continue to go unrecognised. In both cases a convenient yet failsafe referral network to appropriate assistance is required."
The cost of unresolved childhood trauma and abuse in adults in Australia, A Report for Blue Knot Foundation, 2015
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Given the prevlance findings Australian Child Maltreatment Study published this year and our growing population, the Pegasus Economics estimates of the financial returns of funding "active, timely and comprehensive interventions" for survivors of child abuse (sexual, emotional and physical) based on an estimated 3.7 million Austrlaian adults in 2015, are far too low.
The return on investment for the Victorian Government acting on numerous, long standing recommendations of royal commissions, commissions, inquiries and research on effective services and supports for victim/survivors of child sexual abuse, is many billions of dollars.
The impacts of child sexual abuse is a social issue, and a responsibility of governments. And like any effective investments in social wellbeing, we as a society, and goverments, benefit in a multitude of ways.
Early access to effective services and support is vital, hence this Blue Knot commissioned report also recommends what our petition is calling on the Victorian Government to pilot, integrated services based on "no wrong door."
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