| Abstract: | Catherine Humphreys, Department of Applied Social Studies, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK. Summary Women whose children have been sexually abused have been thesubject of a polarized debate between feminist practitioners/writersand family therapists. This paper explores the development ofthat debate, outlining the key characteristics of work whichwas informed by family systems perspectives and the contrastingunderstandings which feminist perspectives brought to analysisand practice. Both feminist perspectives and family therapyhave changed since the original debate erupted. This articleexplores issues which may have been obscured within feministperspectives. These are, first, the difficulties in the mother-childrelationship and, second, the contribution which aspects offamily therapy can make to progressing the interests of womenand children in the aftermath of child sexual abuse. |
