In Australia, language shapes understanding — and misunderstanding. The continued use of the term “incest” to describe sexual violence against children within families is outdated, misleading, and harmful. It fails to reflect the violent, non-consensual, and criminal nature of these acts.

Despite growing awareness, “incest” remains a legal term in most Australian states and territories. It is used in courtrooms, media reports, and criminal codes to describe abuse that is, in reality, rape, child sexual abuse, or coercive sexual assault committed by a trusted family member.

Using a broad term like “incest”:

• Falsely implies mutuality or consent, especially when applied without context;
• Obscures the abuse of power and the survivor’s  lack of agency, particularly in cases involving children or dependent adults;
• Minimises the severity of crimes such as father–daughter rape, uncle–niece sexual assault, or sibling–on–sibling abuse.

These are not ambiguous or “taboo” acts — they are violent crimes. And our language should reflect that.

Currently, this terminology gap contributes to the minimisation of offences in courts, softer sentencing, and public confusion. Survivors are often retraumatised by a system that misnames their abuse, framing it as a family “violation” rather than what it truly was: non-consensual, criminal abuse committed by someone in a position of power and trust.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, nearly 45% of child sexual abuse cases involve a family member. These aren’t rare anomalies — they are part of a systemic issue deeply rooted in silence, stigma, and flawed language.

It’s time to name these crimes for what they are.
We call for an urgent shift in how Australian law, media, and public discourse describe these offences. Replace the term “incest” with language that centres victims and reflects the true nature of the abuse — whether that be “child sexual abuse within the family”, “father-daughter rape”, or “maternal sexual abuse”, depending on the case.

This is not about semantics. It’s about:

• Justice — ensuring courts treat these crimes with the severity they deserve;
• Visibility — helping survivors feel recognised, not minimised;
• Prevention — educating the public and dismantling damaging myths;
• Healing — enabling trauma-informed responses from the media, health, and education sectors.

We urge lawmakers, judges, media outlets, and policymakers to:

• Eliminate the standalone use of the term “incest” in legal definitions, media reporting, and policy;
• Replace it with accurate, descriptive terminology that names the crime and its dynamics;
• Adopt trauma-informed language that does not minimise the victim’s experience.

Let’s stop sanitising crimes with outdated language.

Sign this petition to demand an end to minimising the term “incest” and to call for truthful, justice-centred language in every space where these crimes are named. Survivors deserve nothing less.