Childhood Sexual Abuse
One of the most paradoxical and confusing problems that victims and their families may face is childhood sexual abuse. This form of abuse is a great concern for the present day American society and many efforts through the works of professionals as well as legislation are attempting to put a stop to this unethical, premature sexual exploitation. Ratican (1992) defined childhood sexual abuse in the following manner:
“any sexual act, overt or covert, between a child and an adult (or older child, where the younger child’s participation is obtained through seduction or coercion). Irrespective of how childhood sexual abuse is defined it generally has significant negative and pervasive psychological impact on its victims” (p. 33).
It occurs at …show more content…
7). Research has demonstrated that the survivors usually blame themselves. Because of their tragic experience with sexual abuse, the child survivor’s interpersonal relationships can possibly be damaged as well (Besharov, 1994). Common relationship difficulties that survivors encounter include difficulties with “trust, fear of intimacy, fear of being different or weird, difficulty establishing interpersonal boundaries, passive behaviors, and getting involved in abusive relationships” (Ratican, 1992, p. 36). Stress and anxiety are frequently long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse. Childhood Ssexual abuse can be frightening and lead to the formation of stress long after the experience or experiences have …show more content…
If sexual abuse is suspected, a series of interviews are conducted between a professional and the child victim. During the interview process, the professional usually incorporates “play activity with some questions” whereas interviewing older children focuses on “talking to the child and asking direct questions” (Faller, 1993, p. 1). A wide variety of questions are asked about the child’s life in general and will usually go into specifics about the child’s friends and family (Faller, 1993). Professionals often use anatomically explicit dolls, anatomical drawings, picture drawing, storing telling, and a dollhouse with younger survivors in an attempt to elicit specific information about the sexual abuse. These techniques may serve as a stimulus to remind the child of the sexual abuse. Each victim’s response will not be the same. There is no universal symptom of child sexual abuse among all survivors. Because every survivor has a different experience, professionals must focus on the individual needs of the client. Studies indicate that children can, in fact, remember and that they are resistant to suggestion. The interviewing techniques also serve as being a “permanent, visual record… and become part of the interviewer’s case record and are admissible in court” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007, p.
“any sexual act, overt or covert, between a child and an adult (or older child, where the younger child’s participation is obtained through seduction or coercion). Irrespective of how childhood sexual abuse is defined it generally has significant negative and pervasive psychological impact on its victims” (p. 33).
It occurs at …show more content…
7). Research has demonstrated that the survivors usually blame themselves. Because of their tragic experience with sexual abuse, the child survivor’s interpersonal relationships can possibly be damaged as well (Besharov, 1994). Common relationship difficulties that survivors encounter include difficulties with “trust, fear of intimacy, fear of being different or weird, difficulty establishing interpersonal boundaries, passive behaviors, and getting involved in abusive relationships” (Ratican, 1992, p. 36). Stress and anxiety are frequently long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse. Childhood Ssexual abuse can be frightening and lead to the formation of stress long after the experience or experiences have …show more content…
If sexual abuse is suspected, a series of interviews are conducted between a professional and the child victim. During the interview process, the professional usually incorporates “play activity with some questions” whereas interviewing older children focuses on “talking to the child and asking direct questions” (Faller, 1993, p. 1). A wide variety of questions are asked about the child’s life in general and will usually go into specifics about the child’s friends and family (Faller, 1993). Professionals often use anatomically explicit dolls, anatomical drawings, picture drawing, storing telling, and a dollhouse with younger survivors in an attempt to elicit specific information about the sexual abuse. These techniques may serve as a stimulus to remind the child of the sexual abuse. Each victim’s response will not be the same. There is no universal symptom of child sexual abuse among all survivors. Because every survivor has a different experience, professionals must focus on the individual needs of the client. Studies indicate that children can, in fact, remember and that they are resistant to suggestion. The interviewing techniques also serve as being a “permanent, visual record… and become part of the interviewer’s case record and are admissible in court” (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2007, p.