Abuse at the Heart of the Family: The Challenges and Complexities of Sibling Sexual Abuse

2022 ◽  
pp. 51-64
Author(s):  
Peter Yates ◽  
Stuart Allardyce
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sibling Sexual Abuse ◽  
The Family

“And I Let It All Out”: Survivors’ Sibling Sexual Abuse Disclosures

2020 ◽  
pp. 088626051989732
Author(s):  
Dafna Tener ◽  
Carmit Katz ◽  
Yael Kaufmann
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Family System ◽  
Significant Others ◽  
Sibling Sexual Abuse ◽  
The Family ◽  
Advance Theory ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
Intrafamilial Abuse

There is consensus in child sexual abuse (CSA) literature with respect to the central role of the disclosure process. However, CSA disclosure is challenging for all children, those who have experienced intrafamilial abuse. In recent years, there has been growing research into sibling sexual abuse (SSA), which is a prevalent and severe, but also the least studied form of intrafamilial CSA. This study was designed to advance theory on SSA disclosure by examining the narratives of adults who have disclosed the abuse and discuss it with reference to the perceived role of disclosure recipients—including perpetrating siblings, parents, and professionals. In-depth interviews with 25 adults were conducted and analyzed thematically. The results highlighted the significance of disclosure for survivors, as well as the central roles played by significant others in the process, including the offending and nonoffending siblings, parents, and professionals. The discussion addresses the important role of the family system in the disclosure narratives. The conclusions point to the need of all actors taking part in the disclosure itself, as well as in the survivors’ lives postdisclosure, to become “better” disclosure recipients by acknowledging survivors’ needs. This in turn would also empower survivors to disclose their stories and cope with the potential familial and societal ramifications of their disclosure.

“Victim, Perpetrator, or Just My Brother?” Sibling Sexual Abuse in Large Families: A Child Advocacy Center Study

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (21-22) ◽  
pp. 4887-4912 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dafna Tener ◽  
Noam Tarshish ◽  
Shosh Turgeman
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sexual Behaviors ◽  
Family System ◽  
Large Family ◽  
Child Advocacy ◽  
Sibling Sexual Abuse ◽  
The Family ◽  
Child Advocacy Center ◽  
The One ◽  
Critical Policy

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is a continuum of childhood sexual behaviors that do not fit the category of age-appropriate curiosity. Although SSA may be the most prevalent and longest lasting form of intrafamilial sexual abuse—as well as the one with the worst repercussions—it is also the least reported, studied, and treated. Based on 100 mostly religious Jewish families referred to a child advocacy center (CAC) in Jerusalem from 2010 to 2015, this qualitative study examines SSA characteristics, dynamics, and perceptions of deviancy in multisibling subsystems. The findings are based on an analysis of case summaries, demographic charts, and documented conversations between social workers and siblings. Qualitative document analysis reveals two types of SSA dynamics: “identified perpetrator” and “routine relationship,” the latter being a particularly understudied dynamic that challenges common stereotypes. We also found sibling perceptions of deviancy to vary along a continuum from deviant to completely normative. These perceptions are affected by the type of dynamics as well as by factors associated with disclosure. Our findings highlight the importance of studying the lived experiences of children involved in SSA as an input with critical policy, treatment, and research implications. Interventions must be adjusted to the family system and sibling subsystem’s perceptions and needs to avoid treatment that exacerbates the crisis already experienced by the family. Common assumptions—there must be a “perpetrator”; abuse is necessarily traumatic; and treatment should focus on the trauma—are challenged by the routine type. We conclude that treatment should account for the complexity of SSA by shedding these assumptions and considering the sibling subsystem as an autonomous unit within the large family.

Safeguarding children

2021 ◽  
pp. 175573802199585
Author(s):  
Sabana Shaikh ◽  
Rubena Ali Malik
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Abuse ◽  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Multidisciplinary Meetings ◽  
The Family ◽  
Abuse And Neglect ◽  
Psychological Harm

It is the duty of every healthcare professional to ensure they prioritise the welfare of a child by protecting them from physical or psychological harm. Forms of child abuse include physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. A child subjected to emotional abuse or neglect can present with ambiguous symptoms, making the abuse difficult to detect. Safeguarding concerns must be acted upon according to local procedures, guided by the child safeguarding lead and the practice safeguarding policy. Safeguarding multidisciplinary meetings can be an effective way of communicating with various professionals involved with the family.

scholarly journals Sexual abuse against children with disabilities in the community

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Rania El-Sawy Abdo Abdel-Qawi
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sex Education ◽  
Children With Disabilities ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
People With Disabilities ◽  
Social Effects ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
The Family ◽  
Awareness Programs ◽  
The Subject

The current study aimed to review the most prominent axes related to sexual abuse against children with disabilities in society, including1- Learn about the concept and forms of sexual abuse for people with disabilities.2- Recognizing the physical, psychological, and social effects of abuse.3- Responsible for exposing a child with disabilities to harassment or exploitation.4- The available treatment methods to reduce the consequences of the abuse if it develops into sexual assault. 5- Educating the family of people with disabilities about the possibility that their child will be exposed to sexual harassment.6- Adding the subject of sexual education as an effective means of preventing harassment against people with disabilities. 7- Educating the family, society and those working with people with disabilities about the correct scientific methods and concepts of sex education as a healthy and preventive means against harassment of all kinds. 8- Establishing proposed procedural mechanisms that help workers in the field of special education to know the most important preventive and awareness programs and to activate them in all educational stages.

Father-perpetrators of child sexual abuse who commit suicide

1990 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 144-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geraldine Walford ◽  
Marie-Therese Kennedy ◽  
Morna K. C Manwell ◽  
Noel McCune
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Sexually Abused ◽  
Attempted Suicide ◽  
Suicide Attempts ◽  
Recent Letter ◽  
The Family ◽  
Sex Offences ◽  
The Guardian ◽  
The Impact

Two cases of fathers who committed suicide following the revelation that they had sexually abused their own or other children, are described. The importance of being alert to the possibility of suicide and suicidal acts by family members following a disclosure, is emphasised. Improved liaison and co-ordination between agencies working with these families may enable vulnerable cases to be more readily identified and consequently offered appropriate support and treatment.The revelation that the father in a family has sexually abused his own or other children often precipitates a crisis within the family. The distress suffered by the children themselves and by their mothers is well documented. (Browne and Finkelhor, Hildebrand and Forbes). Goodwin reported suicide attempts in 11 of 201 families, in which sexual abuse had been confirmed. Eight of the attempts were made by daughter-victims. In three of the five cases of mothers who attempted suicide, the abuse was intrafamilial. The impact on father perpetrators, previously a less well researched field, has been receiving more attention of late. Maisch, in a sample of 63 fathers convicted of incest reported that two fathers subsequently committed suicide. Wild has reported on six cases of suicide and three of attempted suicide by perpetrators following disclosure of child sexual abuse. The Cleveland Inquiry Report mentions one father, charged with several sex offences, who committed suicide while awaiting trial. A recent letter to The Guardian newspaper (18th February 1989) by 11 local paediatricians in that area suggests that there are now two such cases of suicide committed by alleged perpetrators.

Treatment Issues in Child Sexual Abuse

1991 ◽  
Vol 159 (6) ◽  
pp. 769-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danya Glaser
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Treatment Process ◽  
Legal Issues ◽  
Treatment Modalities ◽  
Careful Planning ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Many

Child sexual abuse is a commonly encountered and often emotionally damaging experience, maintained by secrecy and followed by denial after disclosure. Treatment in this field involves both the child and the family in a variety of treatment settings and modalities, often proceeding in parallel. Child developmental considerations dictate that treatment often proceeds in phases. It aims to protect the child from further abuse and the consequences of disclosure, and address the trauma and context of the abuse. Careful planning and co-operation is required by the many professionals working in this stressful area in order to avoid confusion, conflicts, and splits which may mirror relationships in the family. The heterogeneity of the problem is reflected in the fact that treatment cannot be offered in a uniform programme. Legal issues may influence the treatment process. Evaluation of treatment modalities, the identification of protective factors and achieving long-term adjustment in the least detrimental manner offer challenges in this newly developing field.

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