A hidden history of child abuse may lie behind the myriad social problems that afflict Australia, from its high rate of depression to its high rate of homelessness. We are more aware, partly thanks to the wayward Catholic clergy, of the existence of child abuse. But that has not translated into an understanding of its pervasive and long-lasting legacy. In a room of 100 women, 12 or 13 on average would have experienced sexual abuse as a child; in a room of 100 men, at least four or five would be survivors of sexual abuse. These figures come from the 2005 Australian Bureau of Statistics personal safety survey, and some in the field consider them conservative.

http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/the-dark-legacy-of-child-abuse-20110701-1gv68.html#ixzz1SHvclUBb