Moral panic has been identified in the sociology of deviance as a prominent issue. In Australia, child abuse is one of the problems believed to be resulting to moral panic. Child abuse refers to the physical and psychological damage that a child faces as a result of the abusive tendencies of others. In Australia, violence against children take the forms of neglect, physical and emotional abuse and sexual abuse (Mills et al., 2010). A five-year inquiry on child abuse that ended in 2017 attracted much attention from the public. The investigations released a report showing how the institutions expected to protect the children’s rights had failed. Institutions including the health agencies, the church, the media, and the leaders did not do enough to prevent child abuse. The inquiry was conducted by the royal commission, one of the highest form of public research agencies. It heard more than 7,000 testimonies from the victims of abuse. The school teachers and religious ministers were found to be the most perpetrators. Catholic Church, Jehovah’s Witness and the Anglican church in Australia had 4,400, 1,000 and 1,115 cases of child abuse respectively (Mills et al., 2010). Therefore, child sexual abuse has been a societal challenge in Australia. This essay aims to illustrate whether the reaction to child abuse in Australia is a type of moral panic. The hypothesis is that the reaction is, indeed, an expression of moral panic. Cohen (2002, p. 41) states that moral panic is a scenario in which a particular occurrence is viewed as a negative influence to the interests and values of the society. Therefore, the reaction was a moral panic, and this can be argued using the significant concern and hostility against child abuse. Additionally, consensus, disproportion, and volatility are other factors that can illustrate the aspect of moral panic surrounding the issues of child abuse in Australia. The ‘moral panic theory’ expressed by Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009, p. 39) will as well form the basis for the argument over this matter.
Concern
Child Protection Agencies in Australia revealed the growing concern regarding abuse and neglect of the children (Mills et al., 2010). Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) showed that one in every 33 children sorted for protection service indicating an increase in child abuse by 6.5 percent (Mills et al., 2010). The organization’s chairman David Braddock warned the nation over such figures. Braddock called for urgent intervention by the government because those statistics are not just mere allegations, but confirms that many children are being abused. It was not confirmed whether the public is aware of this and whether they are willing to report child abuse cases. Meanwhile, the submission of Cohen (2002) indicates that moral panic occurs when an undesirable situation comes into the limelight. At times the panic is ignored and forgotten, however, if it continues to rise as observed in the child abuse case in Australia, it amounts to a more severe fear that calls for a long-lasting repercussion. The implication is seen in the public reaction and might require changes in the local and social policies. The Australian society views child abuse as a catastrophe as it affects the growth of the children (Rohloff " Wright 2010). The children may experience brain damage, mental retardation, and death. Furthermore, the long-term consequences can be dangerous as the victims may develop physical and emotional scars such as unusual aggressiveness and inability to interact with others. These effects might require psychiatric interventions. Australians as well fear that child abuse might become a recurrent affair. It was proved by the Women’s Co-operation Unit, which found that the majority of sexual offenders are child abuse victims who did not recover successfully. Thus, the Australian society risk facing the same problem in the future. Consequently, it is evident that quite a number of the Australian citizens are facing recurrent moral panic over this issue (Mills et al., 2010). The people’s reaction towards child abuse is a moral panic because it shows the people’s concern about the society’s cultural and moral stability as there are threats of drug addiction, homelessness, mental retardation, violent crime and death resulting from child abuse.
Hostility
Australian royal commission has indicated the possibility of institutional failures to counter child abuse leading to hostility from the public. Australians have expressed hostility towards the institutions that are to care for the children. McKee (2010, p. 131) shows that there has been disjunction and condemnation of such organizations because there has been no criminal justice to answer for the organizational inability to prevent child sexual abuse in Australia. The citizens are expressing moral panic while conceptualizing the failures (Fraser et al., 2010). They believe the institutions embrace individualistic, subjective culpability by showing no blameworthiness. There should be criminal liability for the responses and management of the agencies especially when they lead to harm to children. Therefore, the toleration of the corporate criminal responsibility has led to hostility from people (McKee 2010). A survey conducted showed that over 70 percent of Australians feel the need to change the justice system (McKee 2010). They suggest the criminalization of organizations that fail to protect the rights of children. The information in the public domain is that there are a lot of difficulties in the criminal legal structures that hinder corporate responsibility. Australians feel the need to construct a collective system of fault that is aimed at reinforcing organizational accountability (McKee 2010). People’s discomfort with the manner in which child abuse is being addressed is in itself a moral panic. Goode and Ben-Yehuda (2009, p. 44) reveal that moral panic is evident when the majority of the people express aggression and hostility towards a particular group, be it the government agency, who they view as the enemy to the society. The claim is as well supported by Cohen (2002) as it states that disunity among the citizens leads to deviance because the social construction among the society members is disrupted. In this case, the society is divided between the decent population and the wicked ones. Organizational wrongdoing must be dealt with legally through ways such as sentencing (Lonne " Parton 2014).
Consensus
There is a consensus among the Australians concerning the essential elements and factors surrounding the child abuse issue. Australians general agree that childhood trauma is broader as it does not only occur in institutional sexual abuse, but also in homes. Majority of child abuse takes place at home (Fraser et al., 2010). Even though the Royal Commission suggested a quick response to victims of institutional sexual abuse, there is the need to address child abuse from a broader perspective (Fraser et al., 2010). Australian public have as well recognized the strength and resilience of the victims of child abuse (Fraser et al., 2010). Such an occurrence has led to the application of strength-based approach because it makes it easy to focus on skill development of the survivors instead of modeling the illness and symptoms that they have suffered. Furthermore, trauma-informed care can also be provided. According to Cohen (2002), this type of care results from moral panic as it is based on five elements that are developed by the people who interact with the child abuse survivors. These elements include trustworthy, safety, empowerment, choice and collaboration. There is as well a consensus among the citizens that the current system does not adequately respond to the needs of the survivors. Diagnostic services needed by child abuse victims are not always provided because the government agencies do not work collaboratively and strategically to ensure an individual’s lifetime recovery from child abuse effects is achieved (Fraser et al., 2010). Effects such as mental health deterioration and trauma are dangerous to a person’s health. There is also a consensus that a significant opportunity exists in Australia towards improving the local service planning. The recent re-organizations marked by the Local Health Districts (LHD) and Primary Health Networks (PHN) provides the chance to plan at the local level regarding the needs and approaches that can be taken to protect the child abuse survivors. Australians generally agree that there should an ongoing and continuous support of the survivors of child abuse (Lindert et al., 2014). It is expected to be through therapeutic interventions done by professionals. The victims find it difficult to sustain relationships. Besides, there are instances where they believe they were betrayed by the very people who were meant to protect and safeguard them and so their recovery needs therapy. Goode and Ben- Yehuda (2009, p. 53) states that moral panic is only ascertained where there is a widespread general agreement in the society concerning an issue that threatens the societal moral stability. There is a moral panic among the Australians because of their consensus on the various issues surround child abuse.
Disproportionate
The Australians’ reaction towards child abuse is as well disproportionate to the achievements of institutions mandated to protect the rights of children. The Royal Commission report on child abuse revealed that despite the public outcry concerning child abuse, the institutions that are supposed to keep the children safe have failed and underperformed (McKee 2010). The report showed persistent failings and cover up on matters of child protection. Various institutions in the secular and religious worlds were looked at by the commission. It was found that 60 percent of abuses were from the religiously run institutions. Australian societies expose the cases of child abuse without the aid of the mandated agencies. It shows the disproportionality that exist between the public and the institutions because the public performs the institutions’ roles. Besides, the citizens are aware of the institutional child sexual abuse that occurs in the very institutions meant to protect the rights of the children. According to McPhillips (2018, p. 59), such disproportion implies moral panic as it shows public concern about the behavior of various organizations. For instance, there were catastrophic failures of the Catholic Church leadership. There were child abuse cases facing the church (McPhillips 2018). Various recommendations were set to help the religious institution. Australian Catholic bishops were urged to push the Vatican to restructure the canon law. The changes needed include the recognition of child abuse as a criminal offense against a child. It was to ensure accountability and eliminate the current law that defines child abuse in the church as a “moral failing (McKee, 2010).” Additionally, the Royal Commission found out that celibacy is among the contributing factors to child abuse. It then recommended the introduction of voluntary celibacy. Meanwhile, the institutions that are to safeguard the children failed to report cases of child abuse claiming that such information should be confessional. Therefore, the disproportionality in the child abuse issue results from lack of information. The commission stated that “many religious leaders knew about allegations of child sexual abuse yet failed to take effective action. Some ignored allegations and did not respond at all. Some treated alleged perpetrators leniently and failed to address the obvious risks they posed to children. Some concealed abuse and shielded perpetrators from accountability (McKee, 2010). Institutional reputations and individual perpetrators were prioritized over victims and their families (McKee, 2010).” The statement shows why the reaction of the public is a moral panic because the religious leaders who are expected to guide the society have reformed to take no action despite acknowledging the existence of child abuse.
Volatility
The reaction of the Australian towards child abuse also portrays a high level of volatility. In Australia, a ten years old boy was raped by an Anglican clergyman. The clergyman, cut the victim with a small knife and smeared blood in the back of the boy claiming to be carrying out some ritual (Daly, 2014). This case was revealed 50 years later after its occurrence. It shows the volatility in child abuse cases as it affirms that many children are abused secretly and the only time such acts are condemned is when a victim testifies. Further, the uncertainty and unpredictable of child abuse in Australia is caused by the media. In most cases, the media fails to give immediate reports on child abuse cases. Such a claim is evident in the case of Daniel Valerio, a two years old boy born in Victoria, Australia (Daly, 2014). Daniel died at the hand of his mother and reports by the Royal Commission show that there was severe bruising on his body. Despite having this information, the press did not report as no newspapers gave the exact account of what happened (Daly, 2014). Nonetheless, one newspaper company, Melbourne Herald Sun conducted a paradoxical campaign in the year 2017 to ensure that child abuse cases are published by the welfare and health professionals without delay. The paradox in this campaign is that the people who would have protected Daniel already knew about his child abuse condition, but did nothing to prevent his death, only to come back many years later with the reforms needed (Daly 2014). In addition, the media always blame the social workers whenever a case of child abuse is reported as observed in Daniel’s Case, the press gave indirect statement excluding the people who should actually be accountable (Krinsky 2016). They do not focus exclusively on the mistakes of individuals. Such occurrence shows that there is media manipulation in Australia especially on child abuse matters (Krinsky 2016). Therefore, the relationship between has not been that close leading to moral panic towards child abuse.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the reaction of Australian society to child abuse is an excellent example of moral panic. The claim is supported by the fact that all the five elements stated by Goode and Ben-Yehuda in their book “Moral Panics,” to be portraying moral panic are entailed in the Australian child abuse situation. These elements include concern, hostility, consensus, disproportion, and volatility. Child abuse in Australia is characterized by forms such as neglect, physical and emotional abuse, and sexual abuse. Moreover, its outcome is detrimental as the children abused risk facing psychological damage. A descriptive inquiry conducted by the Royal Commission in 2013 revealed that institutions expected to protect the children have failed (Daly, 2014). These institutions include the churches, the media and health agencies. Such a state has led to moral panic among the people as their concern towards child abuse has grown. Besides, they have become hostile to the institutions mandated to safeguard the children and are proposing that criminal responsibilities be imposed. Lastly, the aspect of consensus and volatility on matters of child abuse in Australia affirms a high level of moral panic.
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