Perceptions Of Sexual Abuse Research Articles

Female-Perpetrated Child Sexual Abuse: A Vignette Study Investigating Professionals' Gender-Related Perception Bias and the Influence of an E-Learning Course

The attitude of professionals towards victims’ disclosures of child sexual abuse has a decisive influence on the well-being of the victims. However, both vignette studies as well as victim surveys suggest that professionals’ perception on sexual abuse is influenced, among other factors, by the perpetrators’ gender. The present analysis investigates whether professionals’ perception of sexual abuse is influenced by the perpetrators’ gender, the professionals’ gender as well as their experience and field of profession. Additionally, the effect of an e-learning course was examined. As part of an e-learning course on child sexual abuse, N = 1925 German professionals (social work, educational, medical-therapeutic, legal professionals) were presented with pre- and post-editing vignettes differing in the perpetrators’ gender and the ambiguity of the situation. The professionals had to rate the situations in terms of sexual abusiveness. The findings revealed that the same situation would be more likely classified as abusive when the perpetrator was male, particularly in ambiguous situations. Moreover, work experience, personal experiences with sexual abuse, and awareness of sexual abuse had significant positive relationships with the professionals’ rating of the abusiveness of a situation. An effect of training was identified, with situations being more likely rated as abusive after the course, specifically in cases with female perpetrators. Victims of female-perpetrated sexual abuse are still often disbelieved, and their experiences trivialized because professionals perceive violence by women differently due to gender stereotypes and a lack of knowledge on female-perpetrated violence. This study highlights the important effect of training. Both science and professional practice need to increase knowledge about female-perpetrated child sexual abuse, as it remains a taboo topic.

Perceptions of Sexual Abuse in Sport: A Qualitative Study in the Portuguese Sports Community.

Child sexual abuse is a complex issue that can take place in different contexts. Sports settings have specific features which pose increased risk for sexual abuse to occur. Recently, a country-specific roadmap for effective child safeguarding in sport was launched. Considering the need to achieve a comprehensive picture of violence against children in sports settings in Portugal, we analyzed the perceptions of the sports community in Portugal regarding child sexual abuse, its victims and perpetrators, and the specific risk factors in sports settings, as studies about this specific topic are scarce at the national level. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted using an online questionnaire with open-ended questions. Three hundred participants, i.e., sports managers, coaches, and athletes over 18 years of age (M = 33.13; SD = 13.062), of which 55.7% were female, answered. A thematic analysis of these data was conducted using NVivo software. Inter-rater agreement was strong for almost all variables. Results indicated that sexual abuse is perceived as being associated with physical and emotional abusive behaviors for which there is no consent from the victim, in a relationship that is guided by a relationship with power imbalances. Victims were mainly perceived as being female children, and perpetrators as adult males in a powerful position over the victim. As to possible signs of sexual abuse victimization, results showed that the participants identify behaviors, such as isolation, and physical evidence, such as marks and injuries. Risk factors specific to sports setting included the physical contact involved in many modalities, as well as the close and trustful relationship established between coach and athlete. Results are in line with previous studies showing that coaches, athletes, and sports managers share a common understanding of sexual abuse, although not always accurate. These results shed light on important practical and policy implications relevant to country-specific sport policies for effectively safeguarding children.

They Don’t Listen: A Qualitative Interpretive Meta-synthesis of Children’s Sexual Abuse

Although the literature is copious with studies using qualitative methodology to retrospectively explore issues related to child sexual abuse (CSA) from the adult’s perspective, there is a dearth of qualitative literature regarding the child’s perception of sexual abuse. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive meta-synthesis (QIMS) is to inform practice and research to understand how children make sense of sexual abuse, the factors that influence their disclosure experiences, and coping methods used after disclosure. The QIMS included studies from various disciplines, including psychology, sociology, social work and medicine, to understand the experiences of childhood victims of sexual abuse. Three themes and five subthemes emerged: (1) phases of CSA: (a) initial onset of symptoms, (b) maladaptive coping, and (c) paralyzing fear; (2) types of disclosure: (a) healthy disclosure and healing and (b) destructive disclosure, and; (3) traumatizing “helping” process for CSA victims. In an effort to reduce negative outcomes associated with CSA, it is imperative to explore one’s perception of sexual abuse while still a child to inform prevention and intervention efforts of their specific understanding of the experience.

Inappropriate Sexual Behaviours as Perceived by Students in the Institute of Education, Delta State University, Abraka: Implication for Counselling

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of students in the Institute of Education on the incidence of inappropriate sexual behaviours among students at Delta State University, Abraka. A total of 334 students in Business Education and Library Science Education completed a questionnaire with items on pre-marital sex, pornographic materials, sexual abuse and indecent dressing. The instrument for the study was a 22 – item “Youth Assessment of Inappropriate Sexual Behaviour Interest Inventory” (YASPII). The instrument had acceptable content and face validity. It had a Cronbach alpha reliability index of .75. Four research hypotheses were tested. Findings of the study revealed that pre-marital sex, pornographic films and indecent dressing were perceived by students as common forms of inappropriate sexual behaviour. There was however disparity in their perception of sexual abuse as a form of inappropriate behaviour. It was recommended that sexuality education be scaled up in Nigerian higher education institutions.Counselors and other stakeholders should sensitize students on the consequences of viewing pornographic materials, engaging in pre-marital sex and wearing indecent clothing.

Perceived Sexual Abuse and Quality of Life of Female Workers of Unorganized Sector- An Exploratory Study from Four Districts of West Bengal

Women workers today play an essential and significant role in the economic structure of the country and 94% of women make up the unorganized sector of India. Domestic Violence affects women’s productivity in all forms of life i.e. assaulted women will always get agonized and emotionally disturbed and are often bruised after occurrence of the torment. A working woman may lose her efficiency in work or drop out from work in some cases. The present study aims to explore the magnitude of sexual abuse by intimate partners and the quality of life of women aged 18 -35 years in 4 districts of West Bengal. Close ended questionnaire and focused group discussions were conducted to understand their experiences regarding perception of sexual abuse. The contributing factors to violence were alcohol abuse, desire to gain control over another family member and unjustified suspicion. This analysis might be used to improve future partner violence prevention and treatment programs.

Developing a Scale of Perception of Sexual Abuse in Youth Sports (SPSAYS)

A scale was developed to measure perceptions of sexual abuse in youth sports by assessing (a) the perceived prevalence of sexual abuse committed by pedophilic youth sport coaches, (b) the perceived likelihood that a coach is a pedophile, (c) perceptions on how youth sport organizations should manage the risk of pedophilia, and (d) media influence on participant perception. Two studies were conducted for (a) the formulation of the conceptual framework, (b) the development of preliminary items, (c) an exploratory factor analysis, and (d) a confirmatory factor analysis, and structural equation modeling. The first data set (n = 223) was used for exploratory factor analysis, and four factors (i.e., Management, Prevalence, Influence, and Likelihood) with 15 items emerged. With an independent sample (n = 209), confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling were conducted and found strong support for the scale's psychometric properties, including, convergent validity, predictive validity, and reliability. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed along with study limitations and suggestions for future studies.

Pupils' Perceptions of Sexual Abuse by Teachers in Zimbabwe

Most studies available on sexual abuse of pupils in schools have examined the epidemiology of the phenomenon by teachers but have not looked at what the pupils themselves say about why some teachers sexually abuse them. This study sought to determine pupils' perceptions of sexual abuse by teachers within the Zimbabwean school context. A purposeful sample comprising 200 pupils was selected from 25 schools located in the same province where the study was conducted. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire and analyzed descriptively. The results supported significant proportions of sexual abuse as self-reported by students. Reasons for teachers engaging in sexual abuse included that ‘they think that schoolgirls are AIDS free’; ‘they lack respect for their pupils’; ‘some girls show off their buttocks to teachers’; and that ‘some girls put on short dresses’. The study shows that pupils hold various perceptions about sexual abuse by teachers in Zimbabwean schools.

The prevalence of unwanted and unlawful sexual experiences reported by Danish adolescents: Results from a national youth survey in 2002

To obtain current data about child sexual abuse in Denmark and to assess abused children's own perception of early sexual experiences, which are unlawful according to the Danish Penal Code. Multimedia computer-based self-administered questionnaires (CASI) were completed by a national representative sample of 15-16-y-olds. Child sexual abuse was defined according to the penal code and measured by questions defining specific sexual activities, the relationship between the older person and the child, and the youth's own perception of the incident. Among 5829 respondents, 11% reported unlawful sexual experiences, 7% of boys and 16% of girls. Only 1% of boys and 4% of girls felt that they "definitely" or "maybe" had been sexually abused. A relatively high percentage of Danish adolescents have early, unlawful sexual experiences. However, young people's own perception of sexual abuse tends to differ from that of the authorities, or their tolerance of abusive incidents is high. Gender differences were found in factors predicting perception of abuse.

Sexually Abused Children's Perceptions of Sexual Abuse: An Exploratory Analysis and Comparison Across Ages

ABSTRACT Personal interviews were conducted with 42 sexually abused children aged 4–16 years. A projective-type vignette describing a sexually abusive incident was read to the children followed by a standard list of questions designed to measure cognitive dimensions associated with the trauma of sexual abuse. Overall, the abused children's responses were consistent with perceptions of betrayal, sexualization, secrecy pressure, and coercion with few perceptions of victim blame. Comparisons were made between the perceptions of two developmentally distinct age groups (4–8 and 10–12 year olds) and results indicated that younger children exhibited greater perceptions of victim blame than the older children. Older children, however, attributed a more negative self-concept to the vignette victim and responded with greater perceptions of coercion. The significance of the findings is discussed in terms of prevention and treatment implications.

Sexual abuse — a process, not an event: A view from practice

The perception of sexual abuse as an event or a series or events is reinforced through traditional strategies for investigation, the current legal system and single agency responses. If, however, we are to understand the dynamics of sexual abuse, offenders and victims, we need to explore and understand the nature of sexual assault as a process. This process of abuse often starts long before the actual ‘hands‐on’ assault and may continue long after the ‘hands‐on’ assault is over.

Adolescents with mental retardation: perceptions of sexual abuse.

Reactions of nonretarded female undergraduates to sexually coercive situations in which neither, one, or both protagonists had mental retardation were examined. Results indicated that retardation affected perceptions of both responsibility and harm. Implications for the education of mental health professionals about the emotional needs of individuals with retardation are discussed.

Mental retardation and adult women's perceptions of adolescent sexual abuse

This study examined the effect of mental retardation and an adolescent girl's behavior on adult women's perceptions of sexual abuse and the girl's responsibility. Subjects were 288 women, age 18 to 33, who were randomly assigned a vignette describing a sexual encounter between an adolescent girl and boy. Girl's diagnosis (mentally retarded or nonretarded), boy's diagnosis (mentally retarded or nonretarded) and girl's behavior (encouraging, passive, or resisting) were experimentally manipulated. Factor analysis of responses yielded three factors: girl's responsibility, boy's abusiveness, and parents' responsibility. Results indicate that subjects perceive the girl's responsibility differently among girls with and without mental retardation. Regardless of her behavior, subjects perceive the girl as bearing little responsibility when she is retarded. However, when she is nonretarded, she bears more responsibility when she is encouraging than when she is passive or resisting, and she bears greater responsibility when she is passive than when she is resisting. Also, when the girl is encouraging, the boy's perceived sexual abusiveness is less when he is mentally retarded than when he is nonretarded. Finally, parents are assigned greatest responsibility when the girl is passive, regardless of her diagnosis.