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  1. Home
  2. Child sex offences

Child sex offences

Last Updated
Tuesday, 11/05/2021

Sexual abuse of children is abhorrent. It's illegal wherever it occurs. The Australian Government is doing everything it can to prevent it.

It's illegal for Australians to be involved in any sexual activity, here or overseas, with a child under 16. It's a crime to encourage others to have sexual activity with minors. You could be arrested or jailed overseas, or when you return to Australia.

It's also a crime to not report a child sex offence that you know about.

This page provides information about:

  • sexual exploitation and child abuse overseas
  • travelling as a child sex offender
  • child sex tourism
  • how to report child sex offences overseas

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) works to prevent and investigate child sex offences by Australians. Both here and overseas. The AFP works in partnership with State and Territory police. It also collaborates with international law enforcement agencies.

Sexual exploitation and child abuse overseas

The AFP works with law-enforcement agencies in other countries. Together they monitor and investigate Australian citizens, permanent residents or companies associated with child sex offences.

If you sexually exploit or abuse children younger than 16 overseas, or encourage this, you face harsh penalties.

If you commit these crimes overseas, the AFP can investigate and prosecute you in Australia.

Individuals face up to 25 years imprisonment and companies face fines of up to $500,000. A number of Australians have been successfully prosecuted under these laws.

Travelling as a child sex offender

If you're a registered child sex offender, you need permission to travel. It's illegal to travel, or attempt to travel, overseas without permission from child protection authorities.

If you travel without permission you face up to 5 years in prison.

The AFP will give the following details about you to international authorities:

  • your personal contact details
  • your travel details
  • your registration period
  • information about your offence and sentence

The overseas law enforcement agency will decide what actions to take. They may deny you entry into their country.

Find out ahead of time if you'll be allowed to travel. You could lose the money you've paid for air fares, cruises and accommodation if you don't.

If you're a registered child sex offender:

  • Contact the embassy or consulate of the country you want to travel to and ask if you'll be allowed to enter
  • If you're going on a cruise, contact the operations area of your cruise line to find out if you'll be allowed onboard

Child sex tourism

It's illegal to travel overseas to engage in sexual activity with children younger than 16. It's also illegal to prepare to do this. You can be charged before a child has been harmed.

Examples of illegal behaviour include:

  • arranging a trip for the purposes of child sex tourism
  • 'grooming' a child online for sexual activity overseas

Reporting child sex offences

If a child is in immediate danger, call the police.

If you suspect or know about child sex offences committed overseas, including child sex tourism, report it to authorities.

  • Report to the local police. Contact details are in each destination's travel advice under 'Contacts'
  • Report it to the Australian Federal Police. From Australia, phone 131 237. From overseas, call +61 2 5127 0005.
  • Report it anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
  • You can report suspicious activity via the AFP's Report Child Sex Tourism form.

You can report anonymously. Be aware that if you know of a crime and don't report it, you could also be arrested and jailed, in Australia or overseas.

Read more

  • See the Consular Services Charter to understand what we can and can't do for Australians overseas.
  • Understand what happens if you're arrested or jailed overseas.
  • Read about forced marriage and our advice on travelling with children
  • Read about reducing the risk of sexual assault, and what to do if you've been sexually assaulted overseas.

See also

  • See the Australian Federal Police information about, and for, travelling child sex offenders.
  • Read about travel restrictions for reportable offenders from the Australian Passport Office.
  • Learn about the work by the Department of Home Affairs to stop child sexual exploitation.
  • See information about the work by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to prevent child sex offences.

 

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Emergency consular assistance

The Australian Government provides 24-hour consular emergency assistance.

+61 2 6261 3305 from overseas

1300 555 135 from within Australia

For how we can help you overseas see the Consular Services Charter.

Enquiries and feedback

For non-urgent enquiries, or to provide feedback on consular services that you've recently received, contact us online.

For information on notarial services, email legalisations.australia@dfat.gov.au

For information about Australian visas, contact the Department of Home Affairs.

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  • HomeHome
  • Before you go
    • The basics
      • Planning to travel during COVID-19: step by step
      • Destinations
      • Passport services
      • Visas
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      • Schengen
      • Travel advice explained
    • Who you are
      • Children
      • Dual nationals
      • LGBTI++
      • Mature
      • School leavers
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      • Adoption
      • Adventure
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    • Staying safe
      • Armed conflict
      • Assault
      • Cyber security
      • Demonstrations
      • Earthquakes and tsunamis
      • Kidnapping
      • Natural disasters
      • Partying safely
      • Piracy
      • Scams
      • Severe weather
      • Sexual assault
      • Terrorism
      • Theft and robbery
    • Laws
      • Carrying or using drugs
      • Child sex offences
      • Female genital mutilation
      • Forced marriage
    • Getting around
      • Air travel
      • Boat travel
      • Cruising
      • Public transport
      • Road safety
  • Destinations
    • View all destinations
    • AfricaBrowse destinations in Africa.
    • AmericasBrowse all destinations in the Americas.
    • AsiaBrowse all destinations in Asia.
    • EuropeBrowse all destinations in Europe.
    • Middle EastBrowse all destinations in the Middle East.
    • PacificBrowse all destinations in the Pacific.
  • While you're away
    • When things go wrong
      • Arrested or jailed
      • Lost property
      • Medical assistance
      • Money problems
      • Someone is missing
      • Someone died
    • Crime overseas
      • Assaulted
      • Kidnapped
      • Robbed or mugged
      • Scammed
      • Sexually assaulted
    • Crisis or emergency
      • Demonstration
      • Armed conflict
      • Earthquake
      • Severe weather
      • Terrorist situation
      • Volcanic eruption
      • Bushfire
      • Nuclear incident
    • Australia's biosecurity and border controls
  • Urgent helpLinks to help
  • Our servicesLinks to services
    • Consular Services Charter
      • Arabic
      • Chinese Simplified
      • Chinese Traditional
      • Indonesian
      • Thai
      • Vietnamese
    • Travel advice explained
    • Subscription
    • Crises
    • Passport services
    • Notarial services
      • Documents
      • Documents in Australia
      • Documents overseas
      • Certificate of No Impediment
      • Notarial forms
    • Voting overseas
    • Communities
      • العربية (Arabic)
      • Bahasa Indonesia
      • 中文 简体 (Chinese Simplified)
      • 中文繁體 (Chinese Traditional)
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      • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
      • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
      • Filipino community
      • Indian community
    • Resources
      • Consular State of Play
      • CHOICE travel insurance guide
      • Fact sheet: Travel Smart
      • Fact sheet: Missing overseas
      • Fact sheet: Arrested or jailed overseas
      • Fact sheet: Sexual assault overseas
      • Fact sheet: Death overseas
      • Consular Privacy Collection Statement