HERPES IN DYADIC RELATIONSHIPS: PATTERNS AND TREATMENT

This paper explores the variety of ways in which dyadic relationships can be affected when one partner suffers from genital herpes. Six specific patterns are described: When One Partner Does Not Know, The Compromise Relationship, The Enraged Partner, The Mark of Guilt, Problems in Risk Management, and Herpes Used as a Weapon. Treatment strategies for dealing with each of these patterns are offered.     

A planning model for underground mines—An application in a developing country

This paper describes the planning of an underground mine using linear programming. The objective of the plan was to determine the optimal schedule of mining works to be performed in order to maximise the contribution to the company over a specified time horizon. Details of these mining works, and also the decision variables used in the model are included in the paper. The model is now being used operationally in the Casapalca mine, and is being extended to the other mines of the company.     

Child Sexual Abuse and the Black Disabled Child

This paper seeks to document a previously neglected area of study, namely the effects of sexual abuse on black disabled children. With a particular focus on black children with learning disabilities, it examines how the interlocking dimensions of race, gender and disability compound the problems that they are faced with in the aftermath of sexual abuse. This paper presents case studies drawn from data generated from a broader research project of sexual abuse and black families to illustrate the specific ways the negatively valued position of black disabled children shape responses to them. It is argued that the way in which black disabled children and their families interpret their experiences is likely to differ from other groups of disabled children, as multiple marginalised identities shape their lived realities. The paper concludes with some reflections on the implications for making risk assessment for black disabled children.     

The use of large-group role-play techniques in social work education

The social work student's dilemma of how to link theory to practice is explored and developed by the use of a 'large-group role play' as part of a university-based DipSW programme. This project, although challenging to deliver, has met with an enthusiastic response from DipSW students.     

Assessment and intervention in cases of suspected ritual child sexual abuse

Agency workers have been heavily criticized over their handling of alleged ritual child sexual abuse cases, particularly in respect of their assessments and interventions. However, a study of referrals to police and social service departments revealed that agency workers raised suspicions of ritual abuse in respect of both child ‘victims’ and adult ‘survivors’ very rarely. Furthermore, they did this only after an assessment which showed the cases to possess a number of ‘troubling’ features. While agency workers believed that all the child ‘victims’ had been subject to serious sexual abuse, virtually all of them were circumspect as to whether this had occurred in a ‘ritual’ context. Initially, agency workers were generally open-minded as to the experiences of adult ‘survivors’, but by the end of their assessments, they tended to be more concerned about their mental health and less concerned about issues of ritual abuse. Finally, agency workers appeared to act appropriately in terms of the types of intervention they used and the way in which they applied these. These results suggest that there should be more confidence in the ability of agency workers to respond to cases of alleged ritual abuse. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.