Association between child sexual abuse and sexual revictimization in adulthood among women sex partners of injection drug users

Community-recruited women (n = 1490) were interviewed about their early and adult sexual victimization histories to determine whether there was an association between child sexual abuse and adult revictimization by sex partners and strangers/nonsex partners. Adolescent sexual abuse, lifetime sex-trading, drug treatment, and mental health treatment were examined as mediating variables. One-fourth of the women had been revictimized (i.e., experienced child sexual abuse and at least one instance of adult sexual victimization). Child sexual abuse was associated with both rape and other sexual victimization by a sex partner in adulthood, as well as adult rape by a stranger/nonsex partner. Drug and mental health treatments reduced abused women's chances of being raped by a sex partner; drug treatment also decreased the likelihood of other sexual victimization by a sex partner. Sex-trading increased abused women's likelihood of rape by a stranger or nonsex partner. Intervention--including drug treatment--can help women with child sexual abuse histories overcome some of the abuse-related sequelae that make them vulnerable to adult revictimization.     

Ritual,and child sexual abuse,but not ritual child sexual abuse

Central to the controversy over ritual (satanic) child sexual abuse have been claims concerning agency ‘diagnoses’ of cases. Specifically, it has been alleged that agency findings of ritual abuse have been erroneous and are the product of poor practice. There is, though, little systematic information regarding agency assessment of suspected ritual abuse cases. This paper presents two cases where there was evidence both of child sexual abuse and ‘ritual’ but where agencies adjudged that these aspects occurred independently of one another and were not indicative of ritual child sexual abuse. The existence of these cases underlines the need for a broader and more balanced debate in respect of ritual abuse in general and the agency handling of these cases in particular. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocaust child survivors and child sexual abuse

This study utilized a qualitative analysis of child survivors of the Holocaust who were sexually abused during World War II. The research study aimed to give this specific group of survivors a voice and to explore the impact of multiple extreme traumas, the Holocaust and childhood sexual abuse, on the survivors. Twenty-two child survivors of the Holocaust who were sexually abused during the war completed open-ended interviews. The data was qualitatively analyzed according to Tutty, Rothery, and Grinnell's (1996) guidelines. Three major themes were found: issues relating to the sexual abuse trauma, survivors' perceptions of the abuse, and survivors' general perspectives towards life. The identity of the offenders, Jewish or non-Jewish, determined the survivors' feelings towards themselves, the perpetrators, and about the worth of life.     

Parental functioning and child sexual abuse

Eighty-two mothers and 46 fathers of emotionally disturbed youth in a day treatment program completed the Family Assessment Device (FAD) at time of intake. Interviews with therapists enabled classification of families into three groups: those whose client (the youth) had been sexually abused, those where sexual abuse was suspected but not confirmed, and those without a sexual abuse history. All cases of abuse were non-incestuous. Comparisons of the confirmed abuse and non-abuse groups were made, using three types of analyses. ANOVA of parental responses to the FAD by group yielded significance for mothers but not for fathers, with mothers of abused children reporting more family dysfunction in problem-solving and roles than mothers of non-abused children. Second, significant differences between parents according to group were found in the abused sample in problem-solving, communication, and general functioning, but not in the non-abused sample; mothers reported significantly greater pathology in their families than did fathers. Third, comparison of differences between mothers and their children within families yielded a greater number of differences in the non-abused group. Significance was obtained in affective responsivity and behavior control in both samples. Additionally, however, significant differences in communication and roles were obtained in the non-abused group. Caution in differentiating between incestuous and non-incestuous families is suggested. Implications of this research for family interventions, especially with regard to mother/child perceptual congruence, are discussed.     

Stockholm syndrome and child sexual abuse

This article, based on an analysis of unstructured interviews, identifies that the emotional bond between survivors of child sexual abuse and the people who perpetrated the abuse against them is similar to that of the powerful bi-directional relationship central to Stockholm Syndrome as described by Graham (1994). Aspects of Stockholm Syndrome could be identified in the responses of adult survivors of child sexual abuse, which appeared to impact on their ability to criminally report offenders. An emotional bond, which has enabled the sexual abuse of children, has served to protect the offender long after the abuse has ceased. The implications of Stockholm Syndrome could offer valuable insights to those working in the field of child sexual abuse.     

Affective, behavioral, and social-cognitive dysregulation as mechanisms for sexual abuse revictimization

Using a sample of 1117 female college students, this study examined emotional, behavioral, and social-cognitive mechanisms of sexual abuse revictimization. It was hypothesized that numbing, alexithymia, alcohol problems, mistrust, and adult attachment dimensions would mediate the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual abuse (ASA). Aside from the close adult attachment dimension, the results indicated that all of the hypothesized mediators were associated with CSA. However, only alcohol problems and mistrust met the necessary conditions of mediation. The results with respect to mistrust are especially unique in that it is one of the first empirical demonstrations of a social-cognitive mechanism for sexual abuse revictimization. Thus, these results enhance our understanding of interpersonal mediators of the relationship between CSA and ASA and provide a new direction for future research.     

The child as active participant in sexual abuse

This article reviews the spectrum of positions with regard to sexual activity in the home involving adults and children. It explores the motivational aspects that promote incestuous behavior and particularly highlights the enticing rewards available to children to engage in sexual behavior with adults. Treatment implications are suggested that avoid parental blaming and direct treatment for children, except when children specifically reach out for help. Parent education and marital therapy are recommended as treatments of choice.     

Male victims of child sexual abuse

Despite the increased attention the subject of child sexual abuse has received in recent years, rarely has much consideration been given to the boys and adolescent males who are the victims of such abuse. That young girls are consistently the clear majority of sexual abuse victims is not disputed, however the extent to which they are the majority is in question. A review of existing literature has indicated that one of the leading factors for this inadvertent negligence in presenting a truer picture of the magnitude of the problem for male victims concerns the area of under-reporting of the incidence of abuse of young males. Under-reporting has served to give a false sense of the scope of child sexual abuse, particularly for male children. Many societal and methodological factors contribute to under-reporting. Reasons for the discrepancy in reporting abuse will be presented and implications for practice will be discussed.     

The confrontation clause and the child victim of sexual abuse

Courtroom proceedings for child sexual abuse often represent a morass of conflicting rights and counterproductive justice. Within this article, conflicting rights of adults and children regarding courtroom testimony are explored with an interest in assessing the effects of testifying for children and addressing the process of making children's testimonies less traumatic and more credible.     

The admissibility of evidence in child sexual abuse cases

Testimony in court by child victims of sexual abuse results in further trauma, frequently inconsistent or retracted accusations, and, in incest cases, exacerbation of family difficulties. A number of states have liberalized rules of evidence in such instances to spare the child; some states have enacted legislation simplifying introduction of the child's out-of-court statements, although the constitutionality of these statutes has yet to be tested.     

The pattern of child sexual abuse in northern ireland

A team from the Departments of Child Psychiatry, Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children, and of Epidemiology and Public Health, Queens University Belfast, conducted a study in 1987 of the reported incidence of child sexual abuse in Northern Ireland. The incidence rate of established cases of child sexual abuse was 0.9 per 1000 children under the age of 17 years. Further analysis of all the cases of sexual abuse (suspected, alleged and established) and an estimation of the potential under-ascertainment indicated that the actual rate was between 0.9 per 1000 and 1.85 per 1000 children. Data obtained from a detailed structured questionnaire on each sexually abused child was analysed. The results are presented in relation to the child, age and sex; the abuse, type and duration; the abuser, sex, age and relationship to the child; and outcome factors, initial psychological sequelae, physical signs and symptoms, and social sequelae.     

Medical advances in child sexual abuse

This volume is the first of a two-part special issue detailing state of the art practice in medical issues around child sexual abuse. The six articles in this issue explore methods for medical history evaluation, the rationale for when sexual examinations should take place, specific hymenal findings that suggest a child has been sexually abused, the healing of genital injuries, approaches to interpretation of medical findings, and the neurological harm of sexual abuse. From the initial history to the process of the medical examination, the mechanics of what a genital examination might show, and the neurobiological consequences, it is demonstrated that the harm of sexual abuse is has more effect on the brain than the genital area.     

Parental knowledge of child sexual abuse symptoms

The purpose of this study was to investigate parental knowledge of symptoms of child sexual abuse (CSA), and to determine the factors associated with that knowledge. A total of 150 parents listed symptoms of CSA in the following areas: physical/medical, emotional, sexual behavior, and behavior towards others. Results suggest that, although most parents are familiar with some of the symptoms of CSA, they are more likely to know emotional or behavioral reactions which could be suggestive of many other life stressors. Parents with higher socioeconomic status listed more symptoms, but race and parenting experience were not significant factors. Results suggest the need to inform parents of more indicative physical or sexual symptoms, and to target parents of lower SES background in awareness efforts. doi:10.1300/ J070v15n04_01.     

Clinical psychology and child sexual abuse after Cleveland

SUMMARY. This paper details some of the unresolved issues for clinical psychologists following the Cleveland crisis and Inquiry. The author argues that psychological expertise can he employed in both the investigative and treatment stages, and in the general evaluation oj the child, particularly henefitting children who present without an initial disclosure, where specialist interviewing techniques can clarify what may have happened. The clinical approach should be developed to meet evidential requirements, useful to both court and child. ‘This requires subjecting their work to scrutiny and crossing professional boundaries to help sexually abused children who may represent a hitherto unrecognised but significant proportion of psychologists’ caseloads     

The impact of child, family, and child protective services factors on reports of child sexual abuse recurrence

This study identified selected child factors (e.g., age, gender, race/ethnicity, disabilities, prior victimization, and relationship to perpetrator of abuse), family risk factors (e.g., substance abuse, domestic violence, inadequate housing, and financial problems), and services provided by child protective services that likely increased reports of child sexual abuse recurrence by type of reporter. Survival analysis was conducted using the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System data set of 2002-2004. Child disability, being a prior victim, having a perpetrator as a caregiver, family financial problems, and receiving family supportive services increased the likelihood for reports of child sexual abuse by mandated reporters. Being Hispanic, having a disability, having a perpetrator as a caregiver, financial problems, and receiving family preservation services statistically decreased the likelihood for reports of child sexual abuse recurrence.