Survivors Of Abuse Research Articles

Sibling Sexual Abuse: Seeking Sharīʿah-based Solutions

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is the most common form of intra-familial abuse. Long-term consequences of this abuse can turn into a lifelong battle. This article outlines the psycho-social-legal challenges of survivors of sibling sexual abuse and the dilemma facing survivors of SSA on seeking justice for their situation. The paper offers the Islamic legal perspectives and related options for management in addressing SSA, against the background of Islamic teachings on the prevention of sexualised crimes, possible punishment of the perpetrator/abuser, and ways of healing for the survivors of SSA and their family.

The impact of parental acceptance and childhood maltreatment on mental health and physical pain in Burundian survivors of childhood sexual abuse

BackgroundParental support has been suggested to mitigate mental and physical consequences following childhood sexual abuse (CSA). However, many CSA survivors experience parental rejection post-CSA. ObjectiveWe aimed to understand the impact of abuse-specific parental acceptance on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and physical pain in Burundian CSA-survivors. We further assessed the significance of parental acceptance among known risk factors for predicting PTSD. Methods, participants, and settingsParticipants (N = 131, 80.9 % female, mean age 16.21 years) were recruited via primary health care centers for survivors of sexual violence which survivors approached post-CSA. Survivors reported on PTSD symptoms, daytime/nighttime pain, and adverse childhood experiences in semi-structured interviews. Parental acceptance levels were categorized (acceptance, no acceptance, no contact) for mothers and fathers separately. Kruskal-Wallis tests assessed group differences. Conditional random forests (CRF) evaluated the significance of parental acceptance in predicting PTSD symptom severity. ResultsNo significant differences regarding PTSD symptoms and physical pain between levels of maternal acceptance were obtained. Pairwise comparisons revealed significant differences in PTSD symptom severity between paternal acceptance and no acceptance (d = 1.04) and paternal acceptance and no contact (d = 0.81). The CRF identified paternal acceptance as important variable for the prediction of PTSD symptom severity. Even though results were less conclusive, medium effect sizes hint at less pain perception within the paternal acceptance group. ConclusionsThe results highlight paternal acceptance as a potential risk or protective factor regarding psychological and possibly physical well-being in the aftermath of CSA, even in the context of other known risk factors.

Unveiling Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure in China: An Ecological Exploration of Survivors' Experiences.

Through a thematic analysis of firsthand posts from 258 abuse survivors in online forums from 2016 to 2023, this research examines the barriers that Chinese children encounter when disclosing sexual abuse. The anonymous narratives shed light on the motives behind survivors' reluctance to reveal abuse, the outcomes following disclosure, and the wider implications for survivors and their families under culture. The findings underscore the need for early intervention upon disclosure, aiming to safeguard children from further harm and foster the development of an effective child protection framework.

Childhood abuse and perinatal outcomes for mother and child: A systematic review of the literature.

Childhood abuse can have long-term adverse outcomes in adulthood. These outcomes may pose a particular threat to the health and well-being of perinatal women; however, to date, this body of knowledge has not been systematically collated and synthesized. This systematic review examined the child abuse literature and a broad range of perinatal outcomes using a comprehensive search strategy. The aim of this review was to provide a clearer understanding of the distinct effect of different abuse types and areas where there may be gaps in our knowledge. Following PRISMA guidelines, EBSCO, PsychInfo, Scopus, Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases and gray literature including preprints, dissertations and theses were searched for literature where childhood abuse was associated with any adverse perinatal outcome between 1969 and 2022. Exclusion criteria included adolescent samples, abuse examined as a composite variable, editorials, letters to the editor, qualitative studies, reviews, meta-analyses, or book chapters. Using an assessment tool, two reviewers extracted and assessed the methodological quality and risk of bias of each study. From an initial 12,384 articles, 95 studies were selected, and the outcomes were categorized as pregnancy, childbirth, postnatal for the mother, and perinatal for mother and child. The prevalence of childhood abuse ranged from 5-25% with wide variability (physical 2-78%, sexual 2-47%, and emotional/psychological 2-69%). Despite some consistent findings relating to psychological outcomes (i.e., depression and PTSD), most evidence was inconclusive, effect sizes were small, or the findings based on a limited number of studies. Inconsistencies in findings stem from small sample sizes and differing methodologies, and their diversity meant studies were not suitable for a meta-analysis. Research implication include the need for more rigorous methodology and research in countries where the prevalence of abuse may be high. Policy implications include the need for trauma-informed care with the Multi-level Determinants of Perinatal Wellbeing for Child Abuse Survivors model a useful framework. This review highlights the possible impacts of childhood abuse on perinatal women and their offspring and areas of further investigation. This review was registered with PROSPERO in 2021 and funded by an internal grant from Charles Sturt University.

Posttraumatic growth, spiritual damage, and psychosocial and mental health problems in survivors of clergy-perpetrated child sexual abuse: A mixed methods approach

IntroductionAlthough clergy-perpetrated child sexual abuse (CSA) implies severe traumatic repercussions for the victims, they may also experience posttraumatic growth (PTG) deriving from the need to deal with the trauma suffered. This PTG is associated with the processes of recovery, healing, and empowerment. ObjectiveApplying a mixed methods approach to analyse PTG outcomes and to explore experiences of PTG in survivors of Spanish clergy-perpetrated CSA and its relation with psychosocial, mental and spiritual suffering. ParticipantsThirty-one survivors (M = 51.6 years; SD = 12.4) in the quantitative stage of the research, and seven (M = 49.3; SD = 8.9) in the qualitative stage. MethodsA sequential explanatory mixed methods study design was applied using standardized questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive, correlation and thematic analyses were conducted. The quantitative and qualitative data were integrated. ResultsPositive associations were found between PTG and psychosocial and mental health problems (r = 0.53; p < .01), damage to faith in God (r = 0.43; p < .05) and damage to faith in the Church (r = 0.48; p < .01). Three themes emerged from the qualitative data that explained, expanded, and complemented the quantitative results, highlighting the relationship between damage and growth and the specific meanings of PTG from the perspectives of the survivors. ConclusionsThis study shows that survivors may develop PTG in the course of the processes of psychological suffering, spiritual transformation, and meaning-making of traumatic experiences.

Dissociation and Sexual Concerns in Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: The Role of Identity Cohesion

ABSTRACT Research on male survivors of childhood sexual abuse is notably deficient when it comes to addressing their sexual concerns, such as experiences of sexual distress, negative thoughts, and feelings related to their sexuality. Dissociation, a known consequence of childhood sexual abuse, could be associated with higher sexual concerns through identity cohesion. Precisely, dissociation can potentially be related to lower identity cohesion (e.g., not knowing what you want or need). In return, lower identity cohesion may be related to higher sexual concerns by impeding the capacity to know and accept oneself, which tends to promote a positive and healthy sexuality. This study aimed to examine the role of identity cohesion in the link between dissociation and sexual concerns in 105 men consulting for their history of childhood sexual abuse. Men completed questionnaires assessing dissociation, sexual concerns, and identity cohesion at admission in a community setting. Results of a path analysis revealed an indirect association between dissociation and higher sexual concerns through lower identity cohesion. The model explained 27.6% of the variance in sexual concerns. This study highlights the relevance of interventions targeting dissociative symptoms to improve identity cohesion and sexual health in male survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Educational institutions and educators are significant in children’s lives, and they have a crucial role in implementing policies, practices, and sexual education to enhance children’s safety. Such policies and practices should be based on the voices of CSA survivors. This study explored child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors’ viewpoints on their past experiences with educators and the educational system. A qualitative thematic approach was used to analyze 61 written testimonies collected in 2020–2021 by the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA. Two interrelated themes arose: (1) CSA survivors’ retrospective perspectives of educators and the educational system’s responses to signs of their CSA, described as ranging from abusive to life-saving. Specifically, they shared three types of responses: (a) harmful and hurtful; (b) dismissive and ignoring; and (c) accepting and attending. (2) The second theme described the survivors’ messages to educators to promote constructive change. The survivors conveyed expectations that educators should play a central role in CSA prevention, detection, and intervention and, specifically, the need for educators to receive professional training, provide beneficial sexual education, and identify and respond to CSA. The findings promoted moving beyond individual-level interventions to focus on improving educational institutional and organizational cultures related to CSA in both national and international contexts.

“Crafty” Rhetoric

Building on mental health rhetoric research (MHRR), I explore how legal advocates in non-profit organizations guide survivors of domestic abuse in obtaining orders for protection (OFPs). State statutes not only dictate what a petition for an OFP must contain, but these statutes and resulting documents also reflect cultural and structural biases about domestic abuse. Through rhetorical analysis of state statutes and personal interviews with legal advocates in this inductive and qualitative study, I discovered that these advocates engage in subversive rhetorical intervention, what the advocates call “crafty” intervention. Such intervention is designed to meet the requirements of state statutes for an OFP and also provide a way for survivors to tell their stories in their own way. This intervention sets the stage for helping survivors heal from the trauma of domestic abuse, convincing judges that survivors need OFPs to stay safe, and demonstrating to state legislators that domestic abuse statutes may be too restrictive.

Is trust an essential therapeutic goal in working with childhood sexual abuse (CSA)? – a body of empirical research

ABSTRACT Impaired ability to develop trusting relationships, self-dysregulation, poor emotional regulation, poor self valuation, and relational sensitivity are key challenges for survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. These increase the risk of ruptures in the therapeutic relationship and dropouts. Nevertheless, there is little evidence of the role of therapeutic trust in CSA. We collectively present the findings of a 15-year research journey into CSA recovering. Central to recovering was the establishment and maintenance of trust. Trust was also key for client satisfaction and facilitating the recovering process. Trust mediated regulation of threat responses, facilitated empathy, and enabled accurate symbolisation and re-contextualisation of traumatic narratives. In an increasingly traumatogenic world, more clinicians will be called to respond to disclosures of abuse and maintain engagement. Given the lack of effective interventions for CSA/complex trauma, trust-based person-centred psychotherapies are a promising alternative for managing dropouts, supporting the therapeutic relationship, and facilitating change.

Closure for Survivors of Abusive Relationships

This article presents a five-step clinical approach that describes a process for child sexual abuse survivors, who are now adults, to initiate a statement with their abuser, whereby the survivor can explain the abuse and its impact on their lives. This method may also have applicability for survivors of general child maltreatment. The timing of this intervention needs to be carefully assessed in a partnership between the survivor and clinician. Clinicians might consider this approach if they are conducting long-term psychotherapy with adult survivors of child maltreatment and child sexual abuse, in particular. In addition to delineating steps to be taken, the authors suggest a measurement path. This closure process provides a unique and unduplicated opportunity for personal and professional growth.

Child sexual exploitation and abuse disclosure and help‐seeking: A glimpse of global South data

AbstractOver decades, research practitioners have highlighted how survivors of sexual abuse in childhood face strong forms of stigma including victim‐blaming, shame and social isolation. However, the data and evidence are disproportionately slanted towards the global North. Shifting the focus to the global South, this reflective piece draws on two substantial multicountry research projects to highlight the expectations and experiences of young survivors of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA) in their quest for support. By applying a socio‐ecological analysis, it demonstrates how societal stigma—from both professionals and young people themselves—compounds the help‐seeking process. The findings support the well‐documented concept that disclosing sexual violence is an ongoing—not singular—process that depends on a series of interactions at the individual, interpersonal and institutional levels of the ecosystem. Building better trauma‐informed responses is likely to help; however, a focus only on services falls short, especially in countries where child protection systems struggle to thrive. A concurrent transformative shift in both social and gender norms across the ecosystem is essential to address the seemingly intractable challenges to child sexual exploitation and abuse prevention and response.

성폭력 피해자의 외상후스트레스 영향요인

The objective of this study is to identify the factors that are associated with post-traumatic stress among adult survivors of sexual violence, with a specific emphasis on the phenomenon known as ‘secondary victimization’. We conducted an analysis on 134 adult survivors of sexual violence, using a cognitive-behavioral modification model that examines the relationship between cognitive responses to sexual violence experiences and their subsequent effects. This analysis was based on data obtained from a preliminary survey study that explored the characteristics of sexual violence victims, categorized by the type of victimization. The study findings suggest that individuals tend to reevaluate their own experiences of victimization based on the responses of others, leading to a detrimental effect on post-traumatic stress, such as trauma. Therefore, secondary victimization endured by survivors of sexual abuse arises from elements within their environment, including responses from those around them, legal protocols such as investigative procedures, and support services such as medical systems. Hence, in order to recognize the many manifestations of secondary victimization in cases of sexual violence and develop personalized strategies, it is imperative to implement legislative initiatives that safeguard the well-being of survivors and mitigate the occurrence of secondary victimization.

The benefits of using a Shared Lives type community response to support survivors of domestic abuse with disabilities and older survivors

PurposeThis paper aims to introduce the concept of using the well-established Shared Lives approach to support survivors of domestic abuse with complex needs including those with learning and physical disabilities, older people and carers.Design/methodology/approachSurvivors with complex needs are often excluded from traditional domestic abuse support services thus increasing their risk and making recovery impossible. Using the Shared Lives approach in suitable cases could address gaps in provision and improve the outcomes for survivors with disabilities, older survivors and carers.FindingsThe paper draws on evidence from reports and research about the experiences of these cohorts of survivors to explain how the Shared Lives approach could increase support options for specific categories of survivors.Practical implicationsUsing the Shared Lives approach to support cohorts of victims/survivors who experience barriers to accessing support could improve outcomes for these people, reduce risk of serious harm and improve quality of life.Originality/valueWith the recent recommendation from Association of Directors of Adult Social Services around increasing use of Shared Lives, this paper provides one potential way to meet this recommendation.

Profiles of mental illness in college students and associated factors: A latent class analysis

Mental illness among university students poses a pressing challenge for educational institutions, urging the need for strategies that foster health and mitigate mental distress, with an emphasis on preventing suicide. Our study sought to discern the profiles of mental illness among college students and explore the factors associated with them. We examined data from 918 students at a Brazilian Federal Institute, utilizing Latent Class Analysis and multinomial regression for our analyses. We identified three distinct mental illness profiles: Anxiety with Low Suicide Risk; Mental Illness with Moderate Suicide Risk; and Mental Illness with High Suicide Risk. We observed a reduced association of these profiles with religious beliefs. Conversely, there was a heightened association with cisgender women, individuals identifying as LGBTQI+, those with learning disabilities, and victims of sexual violence. Our findings underscore the importance of tailored prevention and health promotion programs to enhance student well-being. There's a compelling need to devise mental health strategies tailored to the specific needs of the identified groups, particularly students from the LGBTQI + community, survivors of sexual abuse, and those grappling with learning disabilities.

Understanding the Childbirth Experiences of Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors: A Phenomenological Study

This study describes the childbirth experiences of survivors of childhood sexual abuse, using an interpretative phenomenological approach. Data collection involved in-depth, semistructured interviews of four women who gave birth to a baby within the last 5 years. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, three superordinate themes emerged: control, anxiety, and detachment. This contributes to the current body of research by extending knowledge on what it means to experience childbirth for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, told by the woman herself. These findings are especially important in understanding what is required in providing safe, sensitive care for all childbearing women and has important implications for practice, education, and further research. This article has been peer reviewed.

Development and validation of Malaysian one stop crisis center service quality instrument (OSCC-Qual) for domestic violence management

One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) is a multi-sectorial center aimed to provide medical, social, legal, police and shelter services to survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sodomy and child abuse. Although OSCCs have been established for almost three decades in different parts of the world including in Malaysia, there is a lack of a validated instrument to measure the service quality rendered in OSCCs. A validated instrument known as OSCC-Qual was developed using a 5-stage approach where (1) in stage 1, group discussions were conducted among all authors to identify potential items for the instrument; (2) in stage 2, content validation was performed by 13 experts using content validity index and modified kappa; (3) in stage 3, exploratory factor analysis was performed by 141 healthcare staff with experience in managing OSCC cases to validate the items as well as to identify the number of factors in the instrument; (4) in stage 4, confirmatory factor analysis was performed by 110 domestic violence survivors to ascertain the validity of the factors and items retained in stage 3 and (5) in stage 5, forward and backward translation into local Malay and Chinese languages was performed. Results: In stage 1, a total of 42 items were identified. No item was deleted in stage 2. In stage 3, a total of 7 factors (i.e., “information provision”, “competency of staff”, “professionalism”, “supportive environment”, “attitude of staff”, “multi-sectorial coordination” and “tangibles”) were identified. Four items were deleted due to poor factor loading. In stage 4, another 3 items were iteratively removed due to poor factor loading. Discriminant validity was good. Conclusion: With the availability of the 7-factor and 35-item OSCC-Qual instrument, it is hoped that the efficiency of OSCC in achieving its philosophical objectives after three decades of implementation can be unraveled and remedial actions can be taken, if necessary.

Detecting child sexual abuse in child and adolescent psychiatry: a survey study of healthcare professionals' assessment practice.

Research shows that only around half of all survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) disclose the abuse during childhood and adolescence. This is worrying, as CSA is related to substantial suffering later in life. The proportion of children and adolescents who have been exposed to CSA is significantly higher in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) than in the general population. Healthcare professionals report that uncovering CSA is a complex and challenging task. However, we know little about how they proceed when uncovering CSA. More knowledge of healthcare personnel's experience is therefore necessary to facilitate and increase CSA disclosure. The study aims to explore how CAP healthcare professionals in Norway proceed when assessing and detecting CSA, how they experience this work, and what hinders or facilitates their efforts. The study employed a mixed method approach. Data was collected through an anonymous online survey, generating both quantitative and qualitative data. The sample consisted of 111 healthcare professionals in CAP, of whom 84% were women, with a mean age of 40.7 years (range 24-72; sd = 10.8). Mean years of CAP clinical experience were 8.3 years (range 0-41; sd = 7.5). The quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and independent sample t-tests, while the qualitative data was analysed using a team-based qualitative content analysis. The results showed that detection of CSA was viewed as an important, but complex task in CAP, and the existing procedures were deemed to be insufficient. The therapists mostly felt confident about how to proceed when they suspected or detected CSA, yet they seldom detected CSA. In their initial assessment they applied standardised procedures, but if their suspicion of possible CSA persisted, they seemed to rely more on clinical judgement. Specific challenges and facilitators for CSA detection were identified, both in the individual and in the organisation. The study highlights the challenges and complexities healthcare professionals and the CAP system face when assessing CSA, which may account for the low detection rate. The results show that healthcare professionals believe room for clinical autonomy and targeted competence development may improve CSA detection. Additionally, the findings suggest a need for CAP to define roles and responsibilities within and between agencies.

Shame, guilt, and drinking motives as mediators between child maltreatment and problematic alcohol use in college students

Objective: Drinking for emotion regulation may be a concern for college students who have experienced childhood maltreatment, due to high levels of shame and guilt. The present cross-sectional survey study tested how trait shame-proneness, trait guilt-proneness, and trauma-related guilt are differently related to drinking motives and how these pathways mediate the links between maltreatment severity and alcohol outcomes. Participants: Undergraduate student drinkers (n = 464; M age = 19.50, SD = 2.20) from a midsized midwestern University. Methods: Participants completed an online survey inquiring about demographics, childhood maltreatment, shame, guilt, drinking motives, alcohol use, and alcohol-related consequences. Results: There were several significant serial indirect effects of maltreatment on alcohol consumption and related consequences, through trauma-related guilt, shame-proneness, guilt-proneness, drinking-to-cope, and drinking for mood enhancement. Conclusions: On college campuses, to address problematic drinking among childhood maltreatment survivors, interventions may target maladaptive feelings of shame and guilt stemming from trauma exposure.

The externalization of suffering among male survivors of child sexual abuse: “A deeply buried rage that must come out”.

The externalization of suffering among male survivors of child sexual abuse: “A deeply buried rage that must come out”.

"G-d, in you I trusted, let me never be ashamed": Shame and sexual abuse among Orthodox Jews.

Previous research suggests that generalized shame is an important consequence of sexual abuse, and that it maintains symptoms and hampers recovery. Orthodox Jews view sexuality as a powerful experience that is sacred within a loving marriage yet profane and damaging outside of that context. Sexual abuse may, therefore, be perceived as a shameful violation of modesty and spiritually degrading. Accordingly, we hypothesized that abuse would be more strongly related to shame among Orthodox Jews and that this would at least partially mediated resulting distress. We assessed sexual abuse history, shame, and distress in a convenience sample of 628 adult patients completing an intake process for outpatient psychotherapy, of which 109 reported an Orthodox Jewish religious affiliation. Among Orthodox patients, 43% reported a history of sexual abuse and this group reported substantially higher levels of shame compared to both Orthodox patients without a history of sexual abuse and non-Orthodox patients with a history of abuse. Moreover, elevated shame fully mediated the relationship between abuse and depressive symptoms, life satisfaction, and spiritual struggles. Results suggest that treatment of Orthodox survivors of sexual abuse requires particular attention to shame and that further research is warranted. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).