The Nature, Context and Implications of Child Sexual Abuse on the Educational Achievement, Development and Opportunities for Children in Queensland Orphanages from the 1940s to the 1960s

Abstract

This thesis examines generally how a sample of male and female adults have endured, and still endure, the adversity of child sexual abuse suffered while they were orphans in Queensland, Australia from 1940 to 1960. As orphans, they experienced physical, emotional and sexual abuse, as well as neglect, during their childhood, and the adverse effects of this abuse substantially determined their life chances. Specifically, this thesis examines how the sexual abuse affected their educational achievement, their educational development and their educational opportunities. There appears to be a scarcity of research data on the long term effects of sexual and other abuses, on the educational achievement, educational development and educational opportunity for children, at the time of the abuse, and then later as adults. This thesis examines a sample of male and female adults who were sexually abused and suffered other abuses in Queensland orphanages from 1940 to 1960, and analyses their perceptions of how this influenced their primary schooling, secondary schooling, and further education. The method of data collection involved in-depth face-to-face interviews with 10 male and 10 female adult former residents of Queensland orphanages. The interviews examined the effects that the child sexual abuse, and other tandem orphanage experiences, had upon their educational achievement, educational development and educational opportunities. The results of this research strongly affirm that the effects of the child sexual abuse on child residents in Queensland orphanages had a demeaning and devastating long-term effect on their educational development, achievement and opportunities whilst in the orphanage, and then throughout their lives.