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Thomson P, Jaque SV. "I Cannot Tell Anyone:" There are Many Reasons. J Trauma Dissociation 2024:1-14. [PMID: 39041495 DOI: 10.1080/15299732.2024.2383183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/24/2024]
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate variables associated with difficulty disclosing past trauma. Across several prevalence studies, 26% of adults never disclosed childhood abuse until adulthood when they were asked in a research survey or interview question. In this Institutional Review Board approved study, group differences were examined (ability and inability to disclose a traumatic event) as well as predictors for difficulty disclosing past trauma. Method: A non-clinical population (N = 693) was examined to determine prevalence rates and group differences between participants unable to tell someone about a past traumatic event (10%) compared to those who could disclose past traumatic events (90%). Variables included pathological dissociative processing, internalized shame, coping strategies (task, emotion, avoidance), and cumulative trauma exposure. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine predicting variables for disclosure difficulties. Findings: The group that had difficulty disclosing a past traumatic event had more cumulative trauma, pathological dissociative processing, emotion-oriented coping, and shame. In the first logistic regression analyses, interpersonal traumatic events were predictors for the inability to disclose a traumatic event (classified 90% of group membership). In the second logistic regression, shame and cumulative traumatic exposure were predicting factors (classified 90% of group membership). Conclusion: Difficulty speaking about a traumatic event was associated with interpersonal adult and childhood traumatic events, more internalized shame, and cumulative trauma exposure. It is recommended that clinicians working with patients with substantial traumatic exposure address shame, pathological dissociative processing, and emotion-oriented coping strategies if they detect trauma disclosure difficulties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Thomson
- Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
| | - S Victoria Jaque
- Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge, California, USA
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McMinn LE, Kloess JA, Stephenson Z. Empowering Young People with Special Educational Needs to Recognize and Report Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse: A Mixed-Methods Review. TRAUMA, VIOLENCE & ABUSE 2024; 25:2503-2520. [PMID: 38164801 PMCID: PMC11155205 DOI: 10.1177/15248380231217047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Young people with special educational needs (SEN), such as intellectual disability and/or autism, are particularly vulnerable to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). This mixed-methods systematic literature review consolidates findings in respect to how young people with SEN are currently being taught about CSEA in the UK, incorporating empirical and practice-based findings to counteract publication bias. Key databases were searched, and relevant organizations were contacted regarding studies published between 2015 and 2022 (inclusive). Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria. Of these, 10 adopted a qualitative methodology, and three a mixed-methods approach. The thematic synthesis of the qualitative studies identified the following themes: (a) beliefs and stereotypes about CSEA, vulnerability. and risk have led to young people with SEN being misinformed and misunderstood, and (b) anxiety about the topic of sex and abuse creates polarized views regarding CSEA education in adult guardians of young people with SEN. Themes are discussed in the context of societal biases in respect to vulnerability and risk, and these biases are considered to have a negative effect on how young people with SEN are supported. The findings of this review encourage providers of CSEA awareness education to be mindful of not endorsing harmful stereotypes, and to involve parent-carers as much as possible. This review additionally encourages services and organizations to increase focus on practitioner reflexivity and regular training to counteract potential biases in respect to gender, vulnerability, and risk.
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Stige SH, Andersen AC, Halvorsen JE, Halvorsen MS, Binder PE, Måkestad E, Albæk AU. Possible paths to increase detection of child sexual abuse in child and adolescent psychiatry: a meta-synthesis of survivors’ and health professionals’ experiences of addressing child sexual abuse. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being 2022; 17:2103934. [PMID: 35904225 PMCID: PMC9341329 DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2022.2103934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Efforts are directed both towards prevention and early detection of Child sexual abuse (CSA). Yet, only about 50% of CSA survivors disclose before adulthood, and health professionals rarely are the first disclosure recipients. Increasing the detection rate of CSA within the context of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) therefore represents a significant secondary prevention strategy. However, facilitating CSA disclosure when the survivor is reluctant to tell is a highly complex and emotionally demanding clinical task. We therefore argue that efforts to increase detection rates of CSA within CAP need to rest on knowledge of how both survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA. Method Using meta-ethnography as method, we present separate sub-syntheses as well an overarching joint synthesis of how survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA. Results Results show how both survivors and health professionals facing CSA disclosure feel deeply isolated, they experience the consequences of addressing CSA as highly unpredictable, and they need support from others to counteract the negative impact of CSA. Conclusion The results indicate that adapting the organization of CAP to knowledge of how the survivors and health professionals experience addressing CSA is critical to facilitate earlier disclosure of CSA within CAP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ann Christin Andersen
- Regional Centre for Child and Youth Mental Health and Child Welfare (RKBU), Department of Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway and Møre Og Romsdal Hospital Trust, Volda, Norway
| | | | | | - Per-Einar Binder
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Ane Ugland Albæk
- Faculty of Health and Sport Sciences, Department of Psychosocial Health, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway
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Gillard A, St-Pierre E, Radziszewski S, Parent S. Putting the Puzzle Back Together-A Narrative Case Study of an Athlete Who Survived Child Sexual Abuse in Sport. Front Psychol 2022; 13:856957. [PMID: 35422731 PMCID: PMC9001933 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.856957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Denunciations of child sexual abuse (CSA) in the sport context have been increasing in the last decades. Studies estimate that between 14 and 29% of athletes have been victim of at least one form of sexual violence in sport before the age of 18. However, studies suggest that many do not disclose their experience of CSA during childhood. This finding is alarming since studies have shown that the healing process usually starts with disclosure. Moreover, little is known about the healing process of CSA experienced in the sport context. The aim of the study is to present a single case study of a CSA in sport to better understand the global experience over time from the perspective of the athlete. A narrative inquiry approach was adopted. Three non-structured interviews were conducted with the participant. Three pathways in the survivor journey have been identified through inductive thematic analysis: (a) pathway to understanding, (b) pathway to disclosure, and (c) pathway to healing. These pathways represent distinct processes but are intertwined as they are dynamic and iterative. Indeed, the survivor explained how she had been, and is still, going back and forth between them. Results are consistent with those found in the literature on CSA in the general population. It suggests that theoretical models of CSA in the general population could be applied to CSA in sport. Practical implications include a need for education and clearer boundaries in the coach-athlete relationship. Sport stakeholders also need to be better equipped to recognize the signs of sexual violence in sport. Our results indicate that qualitative research could be a potential avenue to help victims heal from CSA. It gives them the chance to talk about and make sense of their abuse in a safe space. Finally, our results demonstrate the importance of reviewing the current justice system for victims. It should be based on a trauma-informed approach that places the victim at the center of the judicial process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allyson Gillard
- Physical Education, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Research Chair on Security and Integrity in Sport (SIMS), Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Équipe Violence Sexuelle et Santé (ÉVISSA), Faculty of Social Science, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Elisabeth St-Pierre
- Physical Education, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Research Chair on Security and Integrity in Sport (SIMS), Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Équipe Violence Sexuelle et Santé (ÉVISSA), Faculty of Social Science, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Stephanie Radziszewski
- Research Chair on Security and Integrity in Sport (SIMS), Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Équipe Violence Sexuelle et Santé (ÉVISSA), Faculty of Social Science, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada.,Faculty of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Sylvie Parent
- Physical Education, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Research Chair on Security and Integrity in Sport (SIMS), Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada.,Interdisciplinary Research Centre on Intimate Relationship Problems and Sexual Abuse (CRIPCAS), Montreal, QC, Canada.,Équipe Violence Sexuelle et Santé (ÉVISSA), Faculty of Social Science, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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Muniz CN, Powers RA, Leili JA. The Influence of Gender on Perceptions of Culpability and Victim Status in Statutory Rape Offenses Involving Teachers. SEXUAL ABUSE : A JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2021; 33:529-551. [PMID: 32508270 DOI: 10.1177/1079063220928955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Perceptions of child sexual abuse and statutory rape vary based on the gender of the victim, the perpetrator, and the combination of both. We extend existing research to examine attributions of responsibility and punitive preferences for student victims in student-teacher sexual relationships contingent on the gender dyad of the student and teacher and the interaction between the gender dyad and respondent gender. Participants (N = 648) were randomly assigned to vignettes wherein the gender of the student and teacher were manipulated (female teacher/male student; female teacher/female student; male teacher/female student; male teacher/male student). Overall, respondents were "pro-victim," though results indicate significant differences in respondent gender and how the gender dyads were perceived. Students in the male same-sex dyads were attributed less responsibility than other students. Furthermore, men were less likely to perceive the student as a victim, and women were more likely to indicate the student should be punished.
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Solberg ET, Halvorsen JE, Stige SH. What Do Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Believe Will Facilitate Early Disclosure of Sexual Abuse? Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:639341. [PMID: 34194343 PMCID: PMC8236530 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.639341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore what adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) believe will facilitate early disclosure of sexual abuse. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 adult survivors of CSA aged 18-57 years, and analyzed the transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis. Our analysis resulted in three main themes: Adults making it possible to tell; Adults daring to consider the unthinkable; and Conveying knowledge of CSA that facilitates understanding. The findings highlighted the importance of adults facilitating disclosure and making it possible for survivors to tell about their experiences, but also the responsibility adults have to dare to consider the possibility of CSA when children struggle. Another important finding was the significance of enhancing the general population's understanding of the complexity of CSA, including why disclosure is difficult, so adults are given the tools needed to understand and know what to do when they suspect CSA. The findings also have important implications for the planning and implementation of interventions to facilitate early disclosure of CSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Tvedt Solberg
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Helse Fonna, Haugesund, Norway
| | - Jorunn E Halvorsen
- Department of Health and Welfare Services, Municipality of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
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Joleby M, Lunde C, Landström S, Jonsson LS. "All of Me Is Completely Different": Experiences and Consequences Among Victims of Technology-Assisted Child Sexual Abuse. Front Psychol 2020; 11:606218. [PMID: 33365004 PMCID: PMC7750528 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.606218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to gain a first-person perspective on the experiences of technology-assisted child sexual abuse (TA-CSA), and a deeper understanding of the way it may affect its victims. Seven young women (aged 17–24) with experience of TA-CSA before the age of 18 participated in individual in-depth interviews. The interviews were teller-focused with the aim of capturing the interviewee’s own story about how they made sense of their experiences over time, and what impact the victimization had on them in the short and long terms. Thematic analysis of the interviews revealed a broad range of abusive experiences that had profoundly impacted the individuals’ lives, health and self-concepts. Three dominant themes emerged from the analysis – From thrilling to abusive, Negative effect on health and wellbeing, and A new self after the abuse. From thrilling to abusive captures the wide range of experiences described, starting from the child’s own sexual curiosity to descriptions of having been manipulated or threatened into engaging in sexual activity, as well as the sometimes long and complex process of understanding the severity of one’s experiences. Negative effect on health and wellbeing describes the victimization’s comprehensive impact on the life and health of the participants, how they blamed themselves for what had happened, and the struggle of having to live with the constant fear of pictures from the abuse resurfacing. A new self after the abuse depicts how the victimization impacted the way participants viewed and thought about themselves in relation to others, and distorted their views of their bodies. The findings are discussed in relation to previous research on both offline CSA and TA-CSA, as well as theoretical and practical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malin Joleby
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Carolina Lunde
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Sara Landström
- Department of Psychology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden
| | - Linda S Jonsson
- Department of Social Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Stockholm, Sweden
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