One in four women sex abuse victims 

Around one in four New Zealand women have been victims of child sex abuse, according to a new study from Auckland University.

The study suggests that 23% of women in urban areas and 28% in rural areas have experienced some form of sexual abuse before the age of 15.

Around half of them were abused more than once - and a male family member was the most likely perpetrator.

The average age of the victim was nine and the average age of the abuser was 30.

The study was funded by the health Research Council of New Zealand and was a replication of a World Health Organisation study on violence against women.

Nearly 3,000 women from the Auckland and Waikato regions were interviewed.

Dr Janet Fanslow of the university's faculty of medicine says the scale means there is an urgent need for both prevention programmes and support and treatment services for such women.

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