The credibility of sexual abuse allegations: Child sexual abuse, adult rape, and sexual harassment

Allegations and denials of sexual abuse often occur in a context in which there is rarely decisive evidence. The present study investigated the credibility of allegations of three kinds of sexual abuse—child sexual abuse, adult rape, and sexual harassment—that also contained a denial by the alleged perpetrator. Perceptions of fair punishment were investigated for the perpetrator if he did actually commit these acts and for the accuser if she was lying. Results indicated that allegations were generally rated in the credible direction. Allegations of child sexual abuse were rated more credible than allegations of rape or sexual harassment. Females found all allegations more credible than males. Males were more likely to believe allegations in the child sexual abuse condition than either the rape or sexual harassment conditions. Females were more likely to believe sexual harassment allegations. Punishments were generally the most severe for child sexual abuse, and psychotherapy was a popular disposition for both perpetrators and those making false allegations.     

Child sexual abuse prevention programs: a meta-analysis

Conducted a meta-analytic evaluation of the effectiveness of school-based child abuse prevention programs. Literature searches identified 27 studies meeting inclusion criteria for use in this meta-analysis. The average effect size for all programs studied was 1.07, indicating that children who participated in prevention programs performed 1.07 SD higher than control group children on the outcome measures used in the studies. Analysis of moderator variables revealed significant effects for age, number of sessions, participant involvement, type of outcome measure, and use of behavioral skills training. Most important, programs presented over 4 or more sessions that allowed children to become physically involved produced the highest effect sizes. Although most often used only with younger children, findings suggest that active, long-term programs may be more effective for children of all ages.     

Child sexual abuse and adolescent prostitution: a comparative analysis

In several studies, child sexual abuse has been identified as a characteristic of adolescent prostitution. The implication of these findings, especially for girls, is that the two phenomena are related in that childhood sexual abuse perhaps leads to prostitution. The present study explored the relationship between sexual abuse and adolescent prostitution by comparing 70 sexually abused children with 35 prostitution-involved children on 22 variables. Findings suggest that the relationship is not directed, but involves runaway behavior as an intervening variable. It is not so much that sexual abuse leads to prostitution as it is that running away leads to prostitution. Implications for treatment of both sexually abused and prostitution-involved children also are discussed.     

Child sexual abuse: offenders,disclosure, and school-based initiatives

Children are being sexually abused at an alarming rate. Prevalence estimates suggest that one out of four girls and one out of ten boys experience sexual abuse. This paper examines the devastating impact of child sexual abuse and explores the contributions of school-based interventions to remedy the problem.     

Going to church: attitudes to church attendance amongst Australian core Catholic youth

Religious communities have an obvious interest in passing on their beliefs and practices to future generations. Many traditional churches, however, report major difficulties in retaining the interest and involvement of adolescents. This study seeks to explore attitudes to a key indicator of traditional practice, church attendance, amongst Australian core Catholic youth (14–15 years of age). Fifty‐eight semi‐structured interviews were conducted with adolescents with a pre‐existing connection with parish communities. Most adolescents interviewed expressed either strong or weak familial pattern of church attendance and predicted a likely decrease in their future participation. This, coupled with the experience of older siblings' reported views about the significance of the Eucharist and a lack of supportive social networks either at school or in the wider community, suggests that many core Catholic adolescents are likely to become less involved in church life in the future.     

Child sexual abuse coping and long term psychological adjustment

The aim of the study was to analyze the consequences of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) on the psychological adjustment of university students, as well as the way in which several avoidance and approach coping strategies affect that adjustment. The sample comprised 1162 students from the University of Granada. Data about CSA was obtained from a questionnaire developed with this aim. We used the How I Deal with Things Scale of Burt and Katz to evaluate coping strategies, whereas depression and self-esteem were assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, respectively. Subjects who were victims of CSA showed significantly higher scores on depression and lower scores on self-esteem. An analysis of coping strategies revealed that only the use of avoidance strategies was related to psychological adjustment. Subjects who used these strategies obtained higher scores on depression and lower scores on self-esteem. These results confirm the idea of CSA as a risk experience that can affect victims' psychological adjustment, to a greater or lesser extent, according to the coping strategy employed.     

Child sexual abuse by family members: A radical feminist perspective

Radical feminist theory states that patriarchy is related to the oppression and victimization of women. This study focuses on the extent to which radical feminist theory can be used to understand male and female children as victims of sexual abuse by female and male family members. The data are cases (N=3864) of “substantiated” and “indicated” intrafamilial child sexual abuse reported to the Indiana Department of Public Welfare. The sample is approximately 80% white and mostly middle to lower middle class. In support of the theory, it was found that, while men were overwhelmingly perpetrators of child sexual abuse in the family (87%), girls were usually the victims (85%), even when the perpetrator was a woman. Women abused more boys in single-parent homes than in two-parent homes that contained a man as representative of the patriarchal order. In contrast, the presence of a woman in two-parent families did not inhibit the victimization of girls. Men victimized more girls in two-parent homes than in single-parent homes. Additional support for radical feminist theory was indicated by the finding that most women were coperpetrators with a man, while over 90% of the men acted alone.     

Sexual abuse: Helping the church recognize and respond to victims

Sexual abuse victims can be members of churches which serve people in many ways, yet some of these victims are unable to report the abuse to a church leader or other members. In the church's efforts to understand and meet needs in the world today, helping victims of sexual trauma is part of God's work to touch lives through ministry in His church. Whether these victims are children or adults, the church can play an active role in recognizing and meeting needs of sexually abused persons.completing a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling and a Master of Arts in Religious Education.     

Child abuse in the early postnatal period: An atypical presentation

In cases of severe physical abuse of babies, the usual dynamics uncovered are a parental history of abuse and deprivation, lack of family support, extreme family stressors, bonding failure to the baby, and/or parental mental illness, including depression or psychosis. This paper presents four cases, from a sample of several hundred abusive families, that do not encompass the usual “abusive” dynamics outlined above. In all four cases, the abuse was perpetrated in the first few months postpartum, against a background of good physical care of the baby, an apparently adequate bond to the baby, and negative psychiatric findings in the abusing parent. The similarities within these four cases were striking, particularly the use of denial to deal with conflicts and long-standing difficulty in expressing any ambivalence in attachment relationships. An explanation of the complex dynamics involved in such cases is offered, and the difficulties in detection and intervention are addressed.     

Therapist sexual abuse: An interview with Jill Sinclair

This interview, conducted in January 1991 with Jill Sinclair (Co-ordinator of the Support Network for those Abused by Therapists), covers: (a) the semantics of therapist sexual abuse, (b) its effect on clients, (c) suggestions for therapists working with clients abused by a previous therapist, (d) the current and future work of the Support Network, and (e) the question of whether or not therapists who have sexually abused their clients should be rehabilitated.     

Acalculia: An historical review of localization

This article reviews the brain localization of calculation disorders (acalculia) beginning with Gall's claim in the early 19th century for a "center" of calculation. A renewed interest in the subject arose around the time of Henschen during the first quarter of the 20th century. A summary of the cases of acalculia since Henschen leads to the conclusion that regardless of the functional modular nature of calculation ability, there is neither a localized region nor a specific hemisphere uniquely underlying the disorder.