Around 17% of children have experienced harm due to alcohol use by adults around them, according to new national data.
La Trobe University‘s Centre for Alcohol Policy Research found that children were seven times more likely to be impacted if their caregiver was also at risk of alcohol-related harm.
The study found alcohol-related harms against children included verbal and physical abuse, and harm caused by witnessing violence.
Methodology
Researchers examined data from a 2021 survey of Australians’ experience with alcohol-related harm.
They analysed the responses of 854 adults who were parents or caregivers of children (under 18).
The majority of participants were aged 35 to 64.
Over half (53%) of respondents said they had not consumed more than five standard drinks in one sitting in the past year. 94% said there wasn’t a “heavy and harmful” drinker in their home.
Findings
Findings, published in the journal Addiction, show one in six children have faced harm because of alcohol use by adults in their environment.
Two-thirds of this group had been affected by a parent’s drinking.
Around 5% of caregivers said a child had been verbally abused due to an adult’s drinking.
Further, a similar rate of respondents said alcohol had led to there not being enough money for children’s needs.
5% of caregivers said a child had experienced “a lot” of harm from alcohol consumption by adults around them.
Nearly one in 10 had experienced “a little” alcohol-related harm.
2% of caregivers said a child had witnessed “serious violence” related to alcohol at home.
Research also found that women were twice as likely than men to report a child in their care had experienced harm from drinking.
Comments
Lead researcher Cass Hopkins said “public health initiatives” are needed to “reduce higher-risk alcohol consumption in our communities”.
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education CEO Caterina Giorgi said children’s experiences are often “missing in conversations” about the impacts of alcohol “on families and communities”.
She called for “meaningful action” from the Government to limit alcohol-related violence against children.
