Sibling Sexual Abuse Research Articles

Parental attitudes following disclosure of sibling sexual abuse: A child advocacy center intervention study.

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) represents a range of childhood sexual behaviors that cannot be considered manifestations of age-appropriate curiosity. Despite being the commonest and longest lasting form of sexual abuse within the family, SSA is the least reported, treated, and researched. This qualitative study is based on a sample of 60 mostly religious Jewish families referred to a child advocacy center (CAC) in Jerusalem from 2010 to 2015. It examines parental attitudes to SSA and their reconstruction, during and after their experience at the CAC. Analysis of case summaries and documented conversations between child protection officers and parents reveals 2 main initial parental attitudes after the disclosure SSA. The first is the attitude that no sexual acts took place at all. The second is that they did occur, with 3 different variations: the sexual acts as "not serious," as a "rupture in the family's ideal narrative," and as "another tragic episode in the family's tragic life story." Findings also suggest that the CAC intervention is a turning point, leading most parents to reconstruct their initial attitudes from "never happened" or "not serious" to "rupture in the family image" or to "another negative event in the family." These findings underscore the need to study the experiences of parents whose children were involved in SSA to inform policy, treatment and research. This is critical, as interventions that are not aligned with family attitudes and needs are known to exacerbate the family crisis. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Victims’ Retrospective Explanations of Sibling Sexual Violence

ABSTRACTWhile sibling sexual abuse may be the most common form of sexual violence within the family, relatively few studies have been conducted on this topic. The current study addresses this gap in the literature through analyses of thematic categories in narratives gathered from an online survey of sibling sexual violence. Survivors were asked to report why they believed their siblings had become sexually abusive toward them. Participants believed that their abusers had learned to be abusive due to their own victimization or exposure to pornography, were abusive to establish dominance over them, or had some undisclosed mental illness. While the study does not claim to test these explanations or include abusers’ own narratives, it offers insight as to how sibling sexual violence survivors make sense of their experiences and assign blame to abusers and their families. It also offers insights into future inquiries about sibling sexual abuse.

"Victim, Perpetrator, or Just My Brother?" Sibling Sexual Abuse in Large Families: A Child Advocacy Center Study.

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is a continuum of childhood sexual behaviors that do not fit the category of age-appropriate curiosity. Although SSA may be the most prevalent and longest lasting form of intrafamilial sexual abuse-as well as the one with the worst repercussions-it is also the least reported, studied, and treated. Based on 100 mostly religious Jewish families referred to a child advocacy center (CAC) in Jerusalem from 2010 to 2015, this qualitative study examines SSA characteristics, dynamics, and perceptions of deviancy in multisibling subsystems. The findings are based on an analysis of case summaries, demographic charts, and documented conversations between social workers and siblings. Qualitative document analysis reveals two types of SSA dynamics: "identified perpetrator" and "routine relationship," the latter being a particularly understudied dynamic that challenges common stereotypes. We also found sibling perceptions of deviancy to vary along a continuum from deviant to completely normative. These perceptions are affected by the type of dynamics as well as by factors associated with disclosure. Our findings highlight the importance of studying the lived experiences of children involved in SSA as an input with critical policy, treatment, and research implications. Interventions must be adjusted to the family system and sibling subsystem's perceptions and needs to avoid treatment that exacerbates the crisis already experienced by the family. Common assumptions-there must be a "perpetrator"; abuse is necessarily traumatic; and treatment should focus on the trauma-are challenged by the routine type. We conclude that treatment should account for the complexity of SSA by shedding these assumptions and considering the sibling subsystem as an autonomous unit within the large family.

Dyadic Types of Sibling Sexual Coercion

Sibling sexual abuse seems to be the most prevalent form of sexual abuse in the family context. This study used the Sexual Coercion Scale of the Revised Conflict Tactics Scales – Sibling Version (Straus et al. 1995) to measure the extent of sibling sexual coercion in a sample of 590 Portuguese university students. Prevalence: 11% of male students and 5% of female students had sexually coerced a sibling in the year when the participant was about 13 years old or in another year. Chronicity: When there was sexual coercion in a sibling relationship, it was perpetrated an average of 22.4 (mean) times by males and 9.1 times by females. Dyadic Concordance Types (DCT’s) revealed that in 26% there was only one perpetrator who was Male-Only, in 19% the perpetrator was Female-Only and more than half (55%) Both coerced. From the perspective of female respondents, in 50% of the cases the perpetrator was a Male-Only, in 31% Female-Only and in 19% Both coerced. Conclusions: Sexual coercion of siblings is probably more frequent than generally realized. Males had higher rates of perpetration, but the percentage of females was substantial. These results suggest a need to expand research to understand the etiology of sibling sexual coercion by females as well as males, understand causes, risk factors and to expand efforts to reduce sexual coercion in sibling relationships.

Sibling sexual abuse: why don't we talk about it?

To explore two hypotheses for explaining why there is little written about sibling sexual abuse and to raise awareness of the subject in order better to protect children and to facilitate sensitive patient care. While there is no universal agreement over its definition, sibling sexual abuse is acknowledged internationally as a prevalent form of child sexual abuse but tends not to be recognised by health professionals. It is also under-represented within the literature in comparison with other forms of intrafamilial sexual abuse. Understanding why this is may help to illuminate the potential barriers to effective professional responses. Two explanations which emerge strongly are the existence of a sibling incest taboo and a prevailing belief that sibling sexual behaviour is largely harmless. Discursive position paper. The paper examines the two hypotheses through exploration of the extant literature on sibling incest and sibling sexual abuse. Sibling sexual abuse accounts for a significant minority of child sexual abuse and has the potential to be as harmful as sexual abuse by a parent. An abhorrence at the thought of sibling sexual activity and a prevailing view of its harmlessness may hinder nurses' detection of and appropriate responses to sibling sexual abuse, but do not provide convincing explanations for the dearth of literature. Instead, a deeply held perspective of sibling relationships as non-abusive offers a more profound explanation. A knowledge of sibling sexual abuse and its consequences are important both for the effective protection of children and the sensitive and appropriate treatment of patients who present with a variety of physical and mental health concerns. A perspective that sibling relationships are non-abusive provides a deeper level of understanding of the powerful obstacles to raising awareness of and responding appropriately to this form of abuse.

Treating Adult Survivors of Sibling Sexual Abuse: A Relational Strengths-Based Approach

Sibling sexual abuse is a far more common manifestation of family violence than is often recognized. Researchers agree that it has received less attention than other forms of child abuse trauma despite the fact that good evidence suggests it is no less injurious than child sexual abuse when a parent or other adult is the perpetrator. This paper describes a relational, strengths-based approach to psychotherapy with adult survivors of sibling sexual abuse guided by trauma-informed principles. Cultural considerations are discussed as well as an overview of the clinical research on sibling sexual abuse and its harmful effects. Clinical case material, treatment strategies and a case illustration demonstrate therapeutic principles of the approach in action.

Sibling Sexual Abuse: An Exploratory Study of Long-term Consequences for Self-esteem and Counseling Considerations

Great advances have been made regarding the study of child sexual assault since the 1970’s. In spite of these advances, the gravity of sibling sexual abuse has largely been overlooked in sexual abuse literature. This paper uses peer reviewed research to highlight some of the major issues and unique long-term consequences associated with sibling sexual abuse. Specifically, an altered version of the Conflict Tactics Scale Straus (Journal of Marriage and the Family 41:75-88, 1979) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale Rosenberg (1965) were used to explore the long-term impact on self-esteem for those having experience with sibling sexual abuse as a child. In addition, clinical considerations for working with survivors, offenders, and families are provided.

A Balancing Act: A Family Perspective to Sibling Sexual Abuse

This article will focus on responding to harmful sexual behaviour by young people towards their siblings and other young children in their family network. It will explore a framework for practice of engaging children and their families following disclosure of sexual abuse, developed by the Sexual Abuse Counselling and Prevention Program at the Children's Protection Society (CPS) in Melbourne, Australia. This article will detail statutory and policy frameworks that provide a context for therapeutic intervention. This particularly applies to consideration of the separation of young people from their families, and where this occurs, to the matter of their reunification with their families. The CPS is particularly exercised by the challenge of achieving a balance in individual safety and the wellbeing of all family members. The article will look at examples of work in which balancing the best interests of different family members which at times are in potential if not actual conflict poses a challenge to counselling staff. The article will provide ideas and approaches to consider for those programmes that walk this difficult journey with families. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.‘This article will detail statutory and policy frameworks that provide a context for therapeutic intervention’Key Practitioner Messages In working with sibling sexual abuse, therapeutic work should equally consider the needs of the victim and the offending sibling. Joint work with all family members can contribute to creating a safe environment, which promotes family healing. Safety planning needs to occur in partnership with parents and statutory bodies.‘Safety planning needs to occur in partnership with parents and statutory bodies’

Confronting the Gender Myth

Research on family violence has overwhelmingly focused on a patriarchal model, which inaccurately depicts men as exclusively perpetrators and women as exclusively victims of abusive family acts. In addition, empirical research on sibling abuse in families has been significantly absent from the professional literature. This exploratory study used a survey instrument based on an altered version of the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) to investigate the question of whether significant gender differences exist in the experience of sibling abuse as a child, either as perpetrator or victim. MANOVAs (multivariate analyses of variance) indicate that there are no gender differences related to surviving sibling abuse or perpetrating emotional and physical abuse, whereas it was found that women had a significantly higher rate of perpetration related to sibling sexual abuse. Specific results related to the gender variance of perpetrators are explored. Limitations as well as implications of these findings on treatment, counselor education, and future research are discussed.

Best practice guidelines for health service professionals who receive initial disclosures of sibling sexual abuse

Sibling sexual abuse is one of the more common forms of child abuse and involves a number of unique complexities. A gap in the literature exists with regards to the appropriate response to an initial disclosure of sibling sexual abuse and the values underlying such a response. This article employs a power and control analysis to consider the definition, prevalence and outcome of such abuse and presents best practice guidelines for health care professionals. The guidelines aim to promote ethical and respectful responses to disclosures of sibling sexual abuse. They reflect an explicit value stance, detailing appropriate responses to disclosure including interagency collaboration, parental notification and consideration of the special status of the abuser as a young person.

Assessment and Treatment of Adolescents Who Sexually Offend

Some adolescents who have committed a sexual crime are placed by the courts in secure residential settings. Given the heterogeneity of this client group, it is important for clinicians in these settings to complete comprehensive assessments to determine the course and content of specialized treatment, if necessary. With a focus on residential care, suggestions are provided for the assessment of strengths, risks, and needs. Particular attention is paid to issues related to informed consent, interviewing, and risk assessment. Also reviewed are various treatment issues with implications in secure settings, including the delivery of therapeutic services, use of manuals, therapeutic relationships and context, and self-care for providers. The growing evidence base for cognitive-behavioral treatment for adolescents who have sexually offended is outlined, and common treatment goals for youth who have offended sexually are critically examined. With an emphasis on treatment tailored to the unique needs of each adolescent, suggestions are offered regarding goals such as increasing accountability, recovery from posttraumatic distress, developing offense-prevention strategies, and enhancing awareness of victim impact, prosocial sexual attitudes, and healthy sexual interests. Additional issues that are considered with implications for clinicians working in secure settings include sibling sexual abuse and offenses involving child abuse imagery.

Children who display harmful sexual behaviour: Assessing the risks of boys abusing at home, in the community or across both settings

There has been no published research to date specifically on young people who sexually abuse in both family and community settings. This exploratory study looked at 34 young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour, and found that abusive sexual behaviour progressed from the family into the community, rather than the other way around. Boys whose abuse took place within both the family and the community were more likely to have a younger age of onset of abusive behaviour and to have experienced more abuse themselves. Boys whose abuse of their siblings was motivated substantially by jealous anger were less likely to go on to abuse outside their family. This may suggest a different dynamic and pathway for boys who abuse only siblings, and that sibling sexual abuse is a useful concept to describe a particular subset of young people who display harmful sexual behaviours.

Sibling Sexual Abuse: An Empirical Analysis of Offender, Victim, and Event Characteristics in National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) Data, 2000–2007

Sibling sexual abuse is identified as the most common form of familial sexual abuse. Extant literature is plagued by definitional inconsistencies, data limitations, and inadequate research methodology. Trivialized as “normal” sexual exploration, sibling sexual abuse has been linked to psychosocial/psychosexual dysfunction. Research has relied on retrospective, convenience, and/or homogenous samples. This work drew on eight years of National Incident-Based Reporting System data (2000–2007) to provide aggregate level baseline information. This work extended prior research exploring victim-, offender-, and incident-based characteristics. Results highlight the need for expanded definitional criteria relating to both age and gender to better inform risk assessment and prevention. Findings both corroborate and contrast prior work and suggest victim- and offender-based gender differences.

Themes of Adult Sibling Sexual Abuse Survivors in Later Life: An Initial Exploration

This paper examines the thematic treatment issues presented in a small, clinical practice setting by eight women aged 56 through 69 who were sexually abused by their brothers/stepbrothers during childhood and seeking therapy for issues dealing with a terminally ill and/or dying parent. The reemergence of traumatic issues and family dynamics with aging parents and end-of-life-issues, dealing with a previously abusive brother, and treatment recommendations on managing reactions, affect, and boundaries are presented.

How Qualitative Research Can Inform Clinical Interventions in Families Recovering From Sibling Sexual Abuse

The impact of sibling sexual abuse (SSA) has been culturally and therapeutically minimised and has received scant research attention. Furthermore, prior research has focused upon the separate experiences of the victim or the offender, or upon seeking family dysfunction explanations. In contrast, this qualitative study attempts to understand the experiences of all family members (victims, offenders, parents and other siblings) when SSA is disclosed. The pathway to recovery for each family member is identified. A systemic analysis of these (often conflicted) pathways of recovery provides some surprising findings and contributes to an understanding of the difficulties facing families in this situation, the constraints on family support and connectedness, validation for the victim and offender accountability.

Responses to Sibling Sexual Abuse: Are They as Harmful as the Abuse?

The present paper reports on an exploratory qualitative study of 19 women on the reactions of those the women encountered in their everyday lives—family, professionals, and community members—when they became aware that the women were survivors of sibling sexual abuse. The study asked whether negative attitudes towards sibling sexual abuse were as harmful as the abuse experience. Data were collected from three focus group discussions and taped transcripts were analysed in terms of themes in public discourse on sibling sexual abuse. The aim of the study was to increase understanding of the impact of people's attitudes and responses to this phenomenon. The findings highlighted the harmful impact of negative attitudes that are reinforced by public discourse that generally fails to problematise the issue and the need for education in professional, community, and school settings.

Comparison of Racial Groups on Trauma and Post-Trauma Functioning

Abstract A paucity of literature exists on racial/ethnic differences in post-trauma functioning on samples other than combat veterans. Overall, the results of this literature are unclear in terms of the nature and direction of differences in trauma exposure and post-trauma functioning. In the present study, African American and Caucasian treatment seeking women were assessed on structured clinical interviews and self-report measures. Results indicated no differences in overall degree of trauma exposure. In terms of mental health variables, Caucasians reported greater distress on several measures and were more likely to be diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. African Americans reported more sibling sexual abuse, multiple incidents of abuse, and more acquaintance physical abuse. The finding that Caucasian participants reported greater distress is dissimilar to most other published data. Potential explanations for these findings are discussed.

'But she didn't say no': an exploration of sibling sexual abuse

Sibling sexual abuse often causes polarities of view in professional and client groups alike. These views range from seeing it as benign to damaging. For professionals new to the field this paper gives an overview of the discussion that sibling sexual abuse is as traumatic as parental sexual abuse, and has lasting impact on its victims. Recognising the particular dynamics of sibling sexual abuse and effect on victims raises the challenge of case management in families where it occurs. This paper will explore this challenge within the New South Wales context.

Understanding Abusive Families: An Ecological Approach to Theory and Practice • Violence and Sexual Abuse at Home: Current Issues in Spousal Battering and Child Maltreatment • Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Healing Through Group Work: Beyond Survival

Understanding Abusive Families: An Ecological Approach to Theory and Practice • Violence and Sexual Abuse at Home: Current Issues in Spousal Battering and Child Maltreatment • Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Healing Through Group Work: Beyond Survival

Sibling Child Sexual Abuse Research Review and Clinical Implications

SUMMARY Although sex play is a part of normal childhood development, some sexual activity may be coerced or forced and may have negative long-term consequences and, thus, be considered abusive. However, childhood sexual abuse perpetrated by siblings, cousins, or peers receives relatively little attention from either researchers or practitioners. In the present article, the literature on sibling child sexual abuse is critically reviewed, and particular attention is focused on defining sibling sexual abuse, and determining its scope and effects. Clinical Implications are derived as well. Although the article focuses on sibling sexual abuse, the concepts considered here also apply to other forms of same-age (or near same-age) child sexual relationships.