Peer Sexual Abuse Research Articles

“We were there all alone”: Sexual abuse within the peer group in boarding schools in Israel – Retrospective perceptions of adult survivors

BackgroundDespite the extensive research on child sexual abuse and the alarming extent of the phenomenon among peers, certain perspectives are still missing. ObjectiveThe current study aimed to explore the subjective experience of adult survivors of peer sexual abuse while in boarding school, which has rarely been explored. Participants and settingThe present study included 15 adults who were sexually abused by their peers while attending boarding school. MethodsThe data were based on semi-structured in-depth interviews focused on the abuse story, disclosure, and the meaning of the boarding school context to the participants. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis approach. ResultsThe findings characterized the boarding school as lacking parental figures, lacking rule and regulation enforcement, and staff who were not able to deal effectively with sexual abuse cases. The relationships within the peer group in the boarding school were characterized by intense, although unspoken, intimacy and sexuality. As part of the group's socialization, breaking the rules was encouraged, including in the sexual realm. Furthermore, the boarding school was perceived as a space that maintained conservative patriarchal social structures that encouraged traditional gender perceptions. ConclusionsThe findings of the current study indicated the urgent need to advance both policy and practice in this area, for example, greater involvement of the boarding school staff in the lives of the adolescents and implementation of rules and regulations to create a safer climate for those who choose, or need, to live away from home.

“You can really be hurt by someone just like you”: Practitioners’ perceptions of preadolescent peer sexual abuse

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has received considerable recent attention from scholars, contributing to prevention and therapeutic intervention services worldwide. However, CSA is still defined as a form of abuse characterized by age and power gaps between victims and perpetrators, despite ample evidence to the contrary. This may explain why preadolescent peer sexual abuse (PAPSA) remains an understudied area of research. PAPSA is generally defined as sexual acts that are developmentally inappropriate and or harmful between children of the same or similar age. The current study was designed to examine educational and therapeutic practitioners’ perceptions of PAPSA and their interactions with children and youth in their care who experienced this form of abuse, specifically focusing on children between the ages of 6–12. Forty in-depth interviews were conducted with practitioners who have encountered PAPSA in their professional lives, using snowball purposeful sampling. The interviews were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis method. The results revealed that participants struggled to make meaning and understand the effects of the phenomenon. To make sense of their experiences in encountering PAPSA, they relied on specific contextual elements related to (1) the characteristics of the peers involved, such as age, gender, and personal history; (2) the type and severity of the sexual acts and the effects on the survivors’ lives; and (3) the social discourse on sexuality—in particular, on sexual abuse—within the relevant age group. Relating to each of these contexts helped them to make sense of their experiences. Additionally, the final theme that emerged was the potential of educational and therapeutic environments to become spaces where PAPSA can be addressed in a compassionate way. The discussion emphasizes the complex and multifaceted nature of the PAPSA phenomenon, the lack of clear definitions guiding intervention, and the urgent need to advance theory to promote both prevention and therapeutic intervention efforts.

Everyone’s Accountable? Peer Sexual Abuse in Religious Schools, Digital Revelations, and Denominational Contests over Protection

Since the emergence of the #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements, online tracts have been employed to publicly reveal experiences of sexual abuse and assault among women and men in religious institutions and to shame abusers, which tend to be examined as an issue of women’s rights or child protection from adult predators. Drawing on the use of digital reporting platforms to testify against peer offences within religious schools, this paper asks how do such testimonies reveal adolescent agency and provoke policy re/actions about the accountability of religious institutions? Digital revelations submitted anonymously to Everyone’s Invited are analysed alongside interviews conducted with educators, parents, and youths in Jewish schools in Britain. Findings indicate how adolescent digital revelations of peer sexual abuse call for accountability by implicating the faith schools in question, which in turn triggers pedagogical and policy debates from educators. Public responses reflect diverging denominational positions on how to balance the protection of young people and safeguard religious self-protectionism. The paper spotlights the agency of youth in shaming peer abusers as much as faith schools and structures of religious authority, and in turn, how online shaming reveals frictions over accountability.

Exploration of the Impact of the COVID-19 on Girls Education in Nigeria

This article explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on girls education in Nigeria. COVID-19 raises concerns to every nationality and has thus made way to the continent of Africa, therein Nigeria. This pandemic has a significant gendered impact on children, especially girls being out of school. The vast majority of pupils affected by this pandemic are rural girls. Despite the fact that these rural girls from poor backgrounds are already marginalised, the pandemic has highly disadvantaged them in terms of access to education, limited provision of resources and infrastructure to ensure learning is taking place even at home. While some research was found to have been done on COVID-19, none was found specifically on rural girls and education in Nigeria. This paper utilised a secondary research methodology which involved reviewing and interpreting past data to explore the impact of this pandemic on the Nigerian girl child. Among other impacts, peer pressure temptations, sexual abuse, unplanned and unwanted pregnancies, and child exploitation were found to put girls at risk. The researchers were able to suggest possible interventions for the girl child’s education in the post COVID-19 era which include the reviewing of cultural practices and customs, making education fashionable, providing extra classes, establishing programmes and initiatives to empower women, and awareness against gender-based violence. This pandemic has drawn attention to the injustices girls live under; and if these interventions are put into practice, a better life for all can be assured.

School rules of (sexual) engagement: government, staff and student contributions to the norms of peer sexual-abuse in seven UK schools

ABSTRACT Peer-sexual abuse in educational settings is a matter of international concern – featured in mainstream news reports, televised through drama series and documented in research. In 2018 the UK government revised and published a series of policy documents to assist schools in addressing the phenomenon. This paper considers the sufficiency of this policy framework through social field analysis of focus groups with staff and students at seven educational establishments in England that ran from 2015 to 2017. Analysis reveals four avenues through which staff and students created or reinforced norms the underpinned harmful sexual behaviours and in doing so created contexts conducive with peer-sexual abuse. While policy developments have made initial acknowledgements of school cultures as associated to peer-sexual abuse, significant progress is required if policy is to provide a framework that challenges, rather than reinforces, individualised – and on occasion victim-blaming – narratives of peer-sexual abuse.

Predictors of teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13\u201319\u2009years in Uganda: a community based case-control study

BackgroundTeenage pregnancy is a serious public health and social problem, with 95% occurring in developing countries. The aim of the study was to investigate the behavioural, familial and social factors associated with teenage pregnancy among girls aged 13–19 years in Lira District, Uganda.MethodsPrimary data from a case-control study of teenage girls (aged 13–19 years) in Lira District, Uganda was analysed. A Structured questionnaire was administered using face-to-face interviews to collect data on 495 participants, identified through simple random sampling from 32 villages in two counties in Lira District. Data analyses were done using SPSS Statistics 23 for descriptive, bivariate (i.e. Chi-square tests) and multivariable analyses (i.e. logistics regression) used for determining independent associations.ResultsA total of 495 teenage girls participated in the study, however, final analyses were undertaken for 480 respondents. At bivariable analysis, all variables except alcohol consumption were significantly associated with teenage pregnancy. Among the behavioural factors assessed, multivariable analyses showed that having multiple sexual partners, frequent sex and irregular contraceptive use increased the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. Among familial factors, being married was found to increase the likelihood of teenage pregnancy. Peer pressure, sexual abuse and lack of control over sex was observed to increase the likelihood of teenage pregnancy.ConclusionsDemographic, behavioural, familial and social factors are important predictors of teenage pregnancy in Lira District. Interventions focussing on: retaining pregnant and married girls at school, information on sexual and reproductive health of teenage girls, improving access to and information about contraceptive use among teenage girls, improving socio-economic status of households, and law enforcement on sexual abuse among girls may come a long way to improving adolescent sexual and health services in the low-income settings.

The Spectrum of Hazing and Peer Sexual Abuse in Sports: A Current Perspective

Context:Hazing and peer sexual abuse in sport are a critical issue, brought into public scrutiny with increasing frequency due to various forms of media, resulting in major causes of numerous avoidable mental health issues, and in some cases, even death. While the exact incidence of these activities is extremely difficult to quantify, trends indicate that the problem is very likely underreported.Evidence Acquisition:PubMed, Google, various legal journals/statutes, books on hazing and peer abuse in sport, and newspaper periodicals/editorials were all searched. Sources range in date from 1968 through 2018.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 5.Results:Hazing and peer sexual abuse are complex issues that have the potential to lead to physical, emotional, and mental harm. The underlying causes of hazing are complex but rooted in maintaining a hierarchical structure within the team unit. By implementing various changes and strategies, coaches and team administration can mitigate the risks of these behaviors.Conclusion:Hazing and peer sexual abuse in sport are avoidable and must be eliminated to maximize the numerous physical and psychosocial benefits attainable by participating in team athletics.

A self-harm series and its relationship with childhood adversity among adolescents in mainland China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundSelf-harm (SH) is an emerging problem among Chinese adolescents. The present study aimed to measure the prevalence of SH behaviours and to explore the relationship between childhood adversity and different SH subtypes among Chinese adolescents.MethodsA total of 5726 middle school students were randomly selected in three cities of Anhui province, China, using a stratified cluster sampling method. SH was categorized into five subtypes (highly lethal self-harm, less lethal self-harm with visible tissue damage, self-harm without visible tissue damage, self-harmful behaviours with latency damage and psychological self-harm). Multivariate logistic regression was used to explore the relationships between childhood adversity and different subtypes of adolescent SH.ResultsThe prevalence rates of highly lethal self-harm, less lethal self-harm with visible tissue damage, self-harm without visible tissue damage, self-harmful behaviours with latency damage and psychological self-harm were 6.1, 20.4, 32.0, 20.0 and 23.0%, respectively. Childhood sexual abuse and physical peer victimization were associated with each SH subtype with adjusted odds ratios (AORs) ranging from 1.23 to 1.76. Highly lethal self-harm was associated with childhood physical peer victimization, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and emotional neglect. The less lethal SH subtypes (i.e., less lethal self-harm with visible tissue damage, self-harm without visible tissue damage, self-harmful behaviours with latency damage and psychological self-harm) were associated with childhood peer victimization, family life stress event scores and childhood sexual abuse.ConclusionsA high prevalence of SH exists among Chinese adolescents. The association of childhood adversity with SH merits serious attention in both future research and preventive interventions.

Youth aggression topic in the daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas (2011)

Analysing youth aggression topic in the press, it is noted that only statistics of youth aggression cases revealed in the public space is represented. There are no records reflecting the real situation. In this instance, the mass media, which is controlling the thoughts of society, has mostly influence to public attitude formation on youth aggression question. It is often based on stereotypes and myths, in that way representing the vision of distorted reality. The aim of this paper is to ascertain how is represented youth aggression topic in the mass media, and what is its formed image of inseparable from aggression informal groups of young people such as ultras (extreme football fans) and skinheads (nationalist attitude).After having analysed the numbers of daily newspaper Lietuvos rytas (January–December of 2011), 99 articles on youth aggression topic were detected. It is noted, that there are no articles about aggression of young people living in the wealthy and rich families. So the mass media is forming a view, that youth aggression mostly occurs in asocial families, whereas in wealthy families this problem simply does not exist. With regard to the portrayal of youth aggression in Lietuvos rytas, as well as paying attention to the fact that trust in the mass media in Lithuania goes up to 70 percent, we can state that readers form themselves a distorted vision of reality.The most common youth aggression cases represented in the mass media are − younger or peer sexual abuse, as well as a large demonstration of transaggression - aggression used to achieve the objective. Most of the images published in the press are attributed to anger aggression and aggressors are depicted as asocial, intoxicating substances tend to use young people. Analysing Lietuvos rytas (2011), as well as reviewing other newspapers (Lietuvos rytas (2007, 2008), Lietuvos Aidas (2008), Merkio kraštas (2011)) in search of information on Lithuania‘s ultras and skinheads formed image, we have to state that public opinion towards ultras and skinheads is formed mostly not by personal experience (communication, confrontation with them), but by mass media which is the main source of information absorbed by members of the society.

Adolescent Male Peer Sexual Abuse: An Issue Often Neglected

Traditionally, sexual abuse is under-reported and under-recognized when the victims are boys. A study carried out by the Government of India in 2007 suggests that every second child/adolescent in the country faces some form of sexual abuse and it is nearly equally prevalent in both sexes. The significance of the problem is undermined all the more when the abuse is perpetrated by a peer. Sexual activity between children and adolescents that occurs without consent or as a result of coercion is tantamount to abuse. A majority of the victims do not disclose the occurrence to anyone. This often neglected issue of adolescent male peer sexual abuse in a sexually conservative country like India is highlighted and discussed through this case, which came to light only after the victim developed a venereal disease.

Comparison of Violence and Abuse in Juvenile Correctional Facilities and Schools

Peer violence, peer sexual harassment and abuse, and staff abuse experienced by boys and girls in juvenile correctional facilities are compared with those experienced by peers in schools in the community. Responses of 360 youths in 20 gender-separated correctional facilities in Israel to a questionnaire tapping these forms of mistreatment were compared with those of 7,012 students in a representative sample of Israeli junior high and high schools. Victimization was reported more frequently by those in correctional facilities than by those in schools. However, some of the more prevalent forms of violence and abuse were reported with equal frequency in both settings, and some more frequently in schools. Despite being victimized more frequently, those in the correctional facilities tended to view their victimization as a significantly less serious problem than those in the schools and to rate the staff as doing a better job of dealing with the problem.

Child peer sexual abuse: Preliminary data on outcomes and disclosure experiences

Objective: This study compared experiences of children sexually abused by peers to those of children abused by adolescents/adults. Variables examined included perceived negativity of the abuse, self-reported outcomes, overall psychological functioning, and disclosure. Method: An archival data set containing retrospective reports of childhood sexual experiences was culled for instances of sexual abuse by child peers and adolescents/adults. An equivalent nonabused comparison group was identified. The Self-Report Outcome Checklist (SROC; Gilbert, 1994b), the MMPI-Hugo Short Form (Hugo, 1971) and a disclosure survey were also retrieved from these data. Results: Compared to abuse by peers, abuse perpetrated by adolescents/adults was more intrusive and intrafamilial. Both groups rated their experiences as equally negative, and reported equally pervasive outcomes. Those abused by adolescents/adults reported significantly higher scores on the Psychopathic Deviate, Psychasthenia, and Schizophrenia scales compared to nonabused controls; similar findings did not emerge for those abused by child peers. Less than a fourth in either abuse group reported disclosing their experience to a parent. Among those who did not disclose, participants abused by child peers anticipated less support from both parents and more anger from their mothers. Conclusions: The findings suggest that child peer sexual abuse may be associated with adverse outcomes.

Adolescents Who Sexually Abuse and Residential Accommodation: Issues of Risk and Vulnerability

This article, arising out of quantitative and qualitative research studies conducted by the authors, begins with a brief overview of current knowledge about male adolescent sexual abusers and associated policies, procedures and services. A particular concern raised by professionals and welfare agencies, who are struggling to develop appropriate responses to young sexual abusers, concerns the circumstances and problems of young people who are placed in residential accommodation as a result of their sexually abusive behaviour, often where there are also child victims of sexual abuse. The vulnerability of young sexual abusers and the risk they pose to others is considered in the light of the findings of qualitative research by one of the authors into the construction and control of children and their sexualities in residential children's homes. This research suggests that the inadequate ways in which sexual behaviour in children's homes is perceived and managed, serves to compound the problems of both the sexually abusive and non-abusive adolescents placed there. The findings from both authors' research are then theorized within broader conceptual frameworks about the nature of childhood, childhood sexuality and institutionalization and its links with peer sexual abuse.

Child sexual abuse, peer sexual abuse, and sexual assault in adulthood: a multi-risk model of revictimization.

This study explored the predictors and consequences of sexual assault occurring after the age of 16 years in a nonclinical sample of women. Child sexual abuse occurring before the age of 16 years was the only predictor of later sexual assault among comorbid risk factors. Peer sexual abuse, number of perpetrators, age at time of sexual abuse, and severity of sexual abuse did not increase the risk for later sexual assault. Adult sexual assault victims showed lower levels of mental health functioning than did survivors of child or peer sexual abuse. We discuss a specificity model of revictimization and the differential effects of child, peer, and adult sexual trauma on the developmental trajectory of sexual violence and psychosocial functioning.

Family Functioning as Predictors of Distress in Revictimized Sexual Abuse Survivors

The present study examines the distress symptomatology and family functioning in female undergraduate students who had been sexually victimized in childhood and revictimized in adulthood. This group was contrasted with a child sexual abuse group, peer sexual abuse group, and a no sexual trauma group. Findings indicated that the revictimized group reported the most severe forms of sexual assault relative to other victimized groups. The victimized groups were all significantly more distressed than the nonabused control group with the revictimized group reporting significantly more PTSD symptomatology than other victimization groups. The victimization groups differed significantly from the nonabused group on dimensions of family functioning, but they did not differ significantly from each other. Multiple stepwise regression analysis indicated that conflict and control were significant predictors of distress in the victimization group. Cohesion was a significant predictor of distress in the nonabused group. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed.