"Love covereth all transgressions": Children's experiences with physical abuse as portrayed in their narratives during forensic investigations

Abstract

The aim of the current study is to promote understanding of children's lived experiences with physical abuse. This is an important area of research that has rarely been studied, and the current study provides a unique opportunity using children's narratives during forensic investigations. One hundred and seventeen forensic investigations with children, alleged victims of continuous physical abuse by their biological parents, were randomly selected from all of the interviews that were conducted in Israel in 2011. The forensic investigations were conducted by well-trained forensic interviewers, and all interviewers used the NICHD Protocol, which allows standardized interviews. The analysis paradigm of the interviews was phenomenological, and a thematic analysis was used to identify key patterns within the children's narratives. Following a thorough thematic analysis, five key categories were identified based on the children's narratives: the children's sensations during the abusive incidents, the children's emotions, the children's understanding of their experiences, the dynamics within the families and the children's desires for the future. The discussion addresses the importance of integrating children's voices regarding their lived experiences into the work of practitioners and policy makers. The information that was gathered from the children's narratives can enhance the work of practitioners in both forensic and clinical contexts.