The role relationship between victim and perpetrator as a predictor of characteristics of intrafamilial sexual abuse

It is hypothesized that the closeness of the relationship between the perpetrator of sexual abuse and the victim will determine the number of instances of sexual abuse, the duration of the sexually abusive relationship, the level of coercion necessary to gain compliance, and how long it takes the victim to tell. Differences for cases where the perpetrator is the victim's father and married to the victim's mother, the victim's stepfather or victim's mother's live-in boyfriend, and the victim's noncustodial father are explored. It is argued that in the first case type, the relationship is the closest, the second case type falls in the middle, and in the third, the relationship is the most distant. Hypotheses regarding number of instances of sexual abuse, its duration, and the delay in telling are supported by the data.     

Depression and Parenting by Nonoffending Mothers of Children Who Experienced Sexual Abuse

Parenting may be one mechanism by which depression in nonoffending mothers impacts child emotional and behavioral adjustment after sexual abuse. This study examined the relationship between self-reported maternal depression and parenting behaviors by nonoffending mothers of children who experienced sexual abuse. The participants were 204 nonoffending biological mother–child pairs recruited from a clinic providing services for children who experienced sexual abuse. The mothers completed pretreatment self-report measures of demographic information, depression, and parenting behaviors. Children (7 to 17 years) completed a measure of mothers’ parenting behaviors. Mothers with clinically high levels of self-reported depression employed more inconsistent parenting behavior and provided poorer monitoring/supervision of their children than mothers without clinically high levels of self-reported depression. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.     

Child Sexual Abuse Attributions Among Undergraduate Psychology Students in Singapore

ABSTRACT

Experimental vignettes were used to investigate attributions relating to child sexual abuse with a focus on the degree of blame allocated to the family and to society, factors thought to be particularly relevant in a collectivist society. One hundred and sixty-two undergraduates in Singapore evaluated media reports describing a case of child sexual abuse. A 2 x 2 x 2 between-subjects design manipulated victim sex, perpetrator sex, and victim–perpetrator relationship. Participants rated the vignettes on degree of blame and prevention potential and rated the abusiveness of the case. Individualism and collectivism attitudes of the participants were also measured. While the highest blame ratings were attributed to perpetrators, significantly more blame was attributed to the family and to society than to the victim. The demonstration of the present attributions of blame to family and to society is a timely finding given recent recommendations to broaden approaches to child abuse prevention by moving away from a reliance on school based child protection programs, which leave the onus on the child to prevent and report abuse, toward a public health approach, which is particularly inclusive of parent and community education approaches . Allocation of some blame to victims, in spite of their status as children, while not a unique finding in victimology research, emphasizes the challenges still to be faced in encouraging the reporting of child sexual abuse.     

Parent-Child Relationships of Victims and Siblings in Incest Families

Clinical accounts suggest that families in which sexual abuse occurs are characterized by poor parent-child relationships. However, there have been no empirical studies utilizing standardized measures to assess the quality of such relationships. In this study, information on parent-child relationships was obtained for 36 child victims and 41 nonabused siblings in families in which father-child sexual abuse had been acknowledged by the father/perpetrator. Results indicated that child victims reported greater relationship problems with father/perpetrators than with mothers. In addition, victims reported greater relationship difficulties with father/perpetrators than did siblings. There were no differences between father/perpetrator and mother reports of relationship quality for victims and siblings. Victims' self-reported depression and anxiety were associated with father/perpetrators' views of father-child relationships, whereas nonabused siblings' self-reported depression and anxiety were associated with father/perpetrators' views of father-child relationships, whereas nonabused siblings' self-reported depression and anxiety were associated with mothers' views of mother-child relationships.     

Clinicians' Attributions of Responsibility for Sexual and Physical Child Abuse

Although responsibility attribution is known to influence decisions in clinical practice, factors which influence responsibility attribution for child abuse are not well understood. In the present study, licensed practicing psychologists from two states (n = 328) responded to clinical case vignettes which experimentally manipulated five two-level independent variables. As dependent measures, subjects assigned relative percentages of responsibility for abuse to the father, mother, child/victim, and an older sister. Results indicated that fathers suspected of sexual abuse were held significantly more responsible than those suspected of physical abuse. In addition, adolescent age victims were held significantly more responsible than seven year old victims. All of the sources of responsibility were affected by the child providing a verbal disclosure of abuse to a psychotherapist. Regression analyses also showed that certainty in the occurrence of abuse and responsibility attributed to the child/victim and older sister accounted for 31% of the variance in decisions to report the case as suspected abuse.     

Social Service Professionals’ Perceptions of Nonoffending Caregivers in Child Sexual Abuse Cases

This study was designed to assess social service workers’ perceptions of nonoffending caregivers in cases of child sexual abuse. Attributions of blame were examined by administering questionnaires to staff at local social service agencies. It was hypothesized that social service workers who worked in the field longer, were male, or had less education would attribute more blame to the nonoffending caregivers. The findings revealed that respondent gender was the only significant predictor of blame attribution toward nonoffending caregivers, with level of education approaching significance as a predictor. There was no relationship between attribution of blame and years in job. The findings have important contributions for informing the practice of social service professionals who work with families of child sexual abuse.     

Attributions of Responsibility in a Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Vignette Among Respondents with CSA Histories: The Role of Abuse Similarity to a Hypothetical Victim

Previous research suggests that similarity to a victim may influence attributions of responsibility in hypothetical child sexual abuse scenarios. One aspect of similarity receiving mixed support in the literature is respondent child sexual abuse history. Using a sample of 1,345 college women, the present study examined child sexual abuse history, similarity to victim, and attributions of responsibility to a hypothetical victim, family member, and perpetrator in a child sexual abuse vignette. Results revealed no group differences in responsibility ratings among respondents with and without child sexual abuse histories. However, among the 133 respondents with child sexual abuse histories, results indicated that similarity to victim moderated the relationship between vignette characteristics, respondent history, and responsibility attributions. Results suggest that similarity to a victim may influence ratings in a self-preserving manner.     

African-American Undergraduates' Perceptions and Attributions of Child Sexual Abuse

This study examined perceptions of child sexual abuse and attributions of responsibility in a cross-sectional convenience sample of 384 African-American undergraduates using a scenario manipulating the age of the victim, gender of the victim, and gender of the perpetrator. Multiple interactions of respondent, victim, and perpetrator gender on perception of intrafamilial child sexual abuse and attributions of responsibility for victim, perpetrator, and parents were obtained. These results extended previous research conducted on primarily Caucasian samples and highlighted the moderating role of gender of the respondent for this ethnicity.     

Child sexual abuse myths: attitudes, beliefs, and individual differences

Child sexual abuse myths comprise incorrect beliefs regarding sexual abuse, victims, and perpetrators. Relations among myth acceptance, responses to disclosure, legal decisions, and victims' subsequent psychological and health outcomes underscore the importance of understanding child sexual abuse myths. Despite accurate knowledge regarding child sexual abuse among many professional and other individuals, child sexual abuse myths persist. A Google search produced 119 child sexual abuse myths, some with overlapping themes. Coders grouped myths into four categories: (a) minimizations or exaggerations of the extent of harm child sexual abuse poses, (b) denials of the extent of child sexual abuse, (c) diffusions of perpetrator blame, and (d) perpetrator stereotypes. This review provides available data regarding the prevalence for these myths, empirical research that refutes or confirms myth categories, and considerations of cultural contexts and implications.     

From Freud to Feminism: Gendered Constructions of Blame Across Theories of Child Sexual Abuse

Most theories of child sexual abuse are, to some degree, gendered, with nonoffending mothers bearing the burden of blame, ideologically and legally, for the transgressions of predominantly male offenders. This article explores the social construction of blame for child sexual abuse via critical analyses of evolving theoretical perspectives on maternal culpability for the inception and maintenance of abuse dynamics. Drawing on selected conceptual and research knowledge that supports and refutes anecdotal claims, this synthesis of the literature culminates in the proposal of an evidence-informed, feminist-grounded, multitheoretical child sexual abuse framework that disrupts dominant mother-blaming discourse and guides socially just and ethically responsive policy, practice, and research.     

Problems of Research in Male Child Sexual Abuse

The focus of the present paper is the main problems found in the study of male child sexual abuse. Aspects of child sexual abuse of males reviewed here include (a) definitions, (b) prevalence rates and under-reporting, (c) effects, (d) possible mechanisms of how sexual abuse affects male victims, (e) gender related risks, (f) types of abuse, (g) perpetrators of abuse, and (h) the victim/perpetrator cycle. We conclude that while much research is urgently required in this area, some tentative conclusions are warranted and some important trends are beginning to emerge for future research directions.     

Childhood victimization and subsequent adult revictimization assessed in a nationally representative sample of women and men

The purpose of this study was to identify whether experiences of childhood physical and/or sexual victimization would increase women's and men's risk for victimization in adulthood by different perpetrators (any perpetrator regardless of the relationship to the victim; intimate partner perpetrator; non-intimate perpetrator) using a nationally representative sample. Results of hierarchical logistic regression analyses indicated that childhood victimization increased the risk for adulthood victimization by any perpetrator for men and women, and by an intimate partner for women but not men. Female and male victims of physical and/or sexual child abuse are at higher risk for adult victimization by non-intimate perpetrators. These results suggest the appropriateness of interventions among adults or young adults who have been victims of child abuse, to prevent any future victimization in adulthood. To guide the development of such prevention programs, research is needed to identify factors that affect the probability of adulthood victimization among child abuse victims.     

Perceptions of child sexual abuse:victim and perpetrator characteristics, treatment efficacy, and lay vs. legal opinions of abuse

Two studies examined interactions between victim age and victim response, and victim relation to perpetrator and victim response influencing perceptions of child sexual abuse (CSA). Undergraduates read one of several vignettes describing a sexual encounter between a man and a girl. In Experiment 1, age of the girl was varied; victim age interacted with victim response to increase ratings of abuse and expected trauma for the girl. In Experiment 2, age was held constant while victim relation to perpetrator was varied; men gave higher ratings of abuse than did women for scenarios involving a step father rather than a neighbor, regardless of victim response. In both studies, psychotherapy was expected to help the victim more than the perpetrator and the law was judged to be less stringent than it is regarding CSA. Results suggest that perceptions of CSA are influenced by several factors and that laws regarding CSA may not be well understood.     

Abusers gaining custody in family courts: A case series of over turned decisions

Abstract

This article presents findings and recommendations based on an in-depth examination of records from 27 custody cases from across the United States. The goal of this case series was to determine why family courts may place children with a parent that the child alleges abused them rather than with the nonoffending parent. We focused on “turned around cases” involving allegations of child abuse that were at first viewed as false and later judged to be valid. The average time a child spent in the court ordered custody of an abusive parent was 3.2?years. In all cases we uncovered the father was the abusive parent and the mother sought to protect their child. Results revealed that initially courts were highly suspicious of mothers' motives for being concerned with abuse. These mothers were often treated poorly and two-thirds of the mothers were pathologized by the court for advocating for the safety of their children. Judges who initially ordered children into custody or visitation with abusive parents relied mainly on reports by custody evaluators and guardians ad litem who mistakenly accused mothers of attempting to alienate their children from the father or having coached the child to falsely report abuse. As a result, 59% of perpetrators were given sole custody and the rest were given joint custody or unsupervised visitation. After failing to be protected in the first custody determination, 88% of children reported new incidents of abuse. The abuse often became increasingly severe and the children's mental and physical health frequently deteriorated. The main reason that cases turned around was because protective parents were able to present compelling evidence of the abuse and back the evidence up with reports by mental health professionals who had specific expertise in child abuse rather than merely custody assessment.     

The Relationship Between Self-Reported Levels of Distress of Parents and Victims in Incest Families

A common clinical observation is that a "special" relationship exists between the father/perpetrator and child victim of incest. The purpose of this study was to test empirical indicants that father/perpetrators and child victims are involved in close, enmeshed relationships, specifically concerning symptoms of emotional distress. The primary hypothesis was that stronger associations would be obtained on indicants of distress (i.e., depression, fear, and anxiety) for father-victim dyadic relationships than for mother-victim dyadic relationships. Subjects in this study were 32 families referred from community agencies. Results indicated that victims' self-reported levels of anxiety were significantly related to both maternal and paternal indicants of distress; maternal, rather than paternal, distress was associated with victim's self-reported fears, and no significant associations were obtained between parental distress and victims' self-reported depression. Additionally, no significant differences were noted in the magnitudes of correlations between father/victim and mother/victim levels of distress. In contrast to clinical accounts, the study failed to find evidence of emotional enmeshment between victim and father/perpetrator. Rather, the results suggested that a dynamic of familial enmeshment is present in incest families.     

Psychological and Physical Health of Nonoffending Parents After Disclosure of Sexual Abuse of Their Child

Disclosure of child sexual abuse can be traumatic for nonoffending parents. Research has shown its impact on mothers’ mental health, which includes heightened psychological distress, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Very little is known, however, about its impact on their physical health or on fathers’ health. The self-perceived mental and physical health of nonoffending parents after child sexual abuse disclosure was compared to determine gender-related differences in this regard. Interviews were conducted with 109 mothers and 43 fathers of 6- to 13-year-old sexually abused children. Bivariate analyses revealed that a fair proportion of parents reported psychological and physical problems after disclosure. However, proportionally more mothers than fathers reported psychological distress, depression, and use of professional services. Fathers were more likely to resort to health services instead of social services and to use medication for depression. Study findings provide leads for health and social service providers for the development of intervention protocols and referral procedures sensitive to gender issues, and they shed new light on specific needs of nonoffending parents.     

Treatment Implications Arising From a Qualitative Analysis of Letters Written by the Nonoffending Partners of Men Who Have Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse

There is a dearth of current empirical research exploring the experiences of nonoffending partners, or women whose partners have perpetrated child sexual abuse. Existing literature is dated and focuses disproportionately on intrafamilial abuse. This research explores how nonoffending partners construct and understand their experiences using thematic analysis within a social constructionist framework. Findings indicate that discovery of a partner's sexual offending is a profoundly distressing experience. It can inhibit a woman's ability to process the broader implications of her partner's behavior, including issues of risk, the impact on the victim, and the additional protective responsibilities she must adopt in the future. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed.     

Characteristics of Sexually Abused Children and Their Nonoffending Mothers Followed by Child Welfare Services: The Role of a Maternal History of Child Sexual Abuse

Considering the importance of mother’s support in the adaptation of a sexually abused child, it is relevant to determine if the mothers and children involved in an intergenerational cycle of child sexual victimization differ from dyads in which only the child has been abused. The purpose of this study was to compare mother–child dyads with sexually abused children according to whether the mother had herself been victim of child sexual abuse. The sample included 87 dyads with sexually abused children aged 3–18 years old and their mothers (44 reporting maternal and child abuse), followed by social welfare services of the province of Quebec (Canada). The two groups of mothers were compared on their past family abuse experiences and past family relations, their mental health history, their current psychological distress, their parenting behaviors, and their current levels of family functioning. Children were compared on their adaptation. Multivariate analyses indicated that mothers reporting child sexual abuse were more likely to report more other maltreatments in their childhood and greater prevalence of lifetime history of alcohol abuse disorders, dysthymia, and panic disorder compared with mothers who had not experienced CSA. Compared to children whose mothers had not experienced CSA, those whose mothers had experienced CSA showed higher rates of problems behaviors and were more likely to report having been sexually abused by a trusted person. These results highlight the specific clinical needs for the assessment and treatment for sexually abused children whose mothers experienced child sexual abuse.     

Resilience and risk factors associated with experiencing childhood sexual abuse

The effects of child sexual abuse are wide‐ranging and impact on children, families and health/social care systems. The authors review this literature, examining the shortcomings of the ‘victim–offender’ model, and consider the complex, multifactorial nature of this question. Factors associated with a progression from victim to perpetrator are explored and the prevalence of abuse in the general population is also discussed. Protective as well as risk factors are considered and the pivotal role of ‘personal reliance’ is considered as it relates to empowering damaged young people to become healthy adults. The authors also discuss implications for the treatment of young people who become abusers. Two case examples are brie?y reported upon and the article concludes with a consideration of ways to helpfully address the needs of children who become sexual perpetrators. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recentering our tendencies: Immigrant youth development and the importance of context in social work research

According to Weiner’s model, help giving has various determinants such as social and individual causes, affective reactions, and responsibility. The aim of this study was (1) to examine the influence of bullying acts, the victim’s behavior at work, and revictimization on equity judgments and the perceived responsibility of perpetrators and victims; and (2) to test the determinants of help decisions. Twelve vignettes of bullying at work submitted to 133 participants varied according to the severity of bullying, the victim’s pro- or antisocial behaviors, and the victim’s antecedents. The results showed that the situation was judged less equitable, the victim less responsible, and the perpetrator more responsible, and the intention of help was increased, (1) when the perpetrator’s acts were serious, and (2) when the bullied person had shown prosocial behavior versus antisocial behavior. The help increased more (1) when the perpetrator’s acts were harmful and (2) when the victim had shown prosocial behaviors.