Time Of Abuse Research Articles

When Victims Become Abusers: A Study Among the Male Victims of Child Sexual Abuse in Bangladesh.

There are substantial mental health consequences for male child sexual abuse (MCSA) victims. Survivors may exhibit sexually offensive actions because of this trauma. In other words, the abused becomes an abuser. In Bangladesh, MCSA is an invisible social problem. This study aimed to assess sexually offensive behaviors among victims of MCSA and to determine the associated factors. A total of 540 victims participated in an online survey as part of a cross-sectional study. Data were collected on victimization, suicidal ideation, history of offense, and sociodemographic factors. Pearson chi-square test and a binary logistic regression were employed to assess significant factors. Results revealed that 63.2% of participants reported engaging in sexually offensive behavior. Those living in villages, unmarried, experienced repetitive sexual abuse, under 13 years old at the time of abuse, experienced physical abuse concurrently, being penetrated during abuse, not disclosing the abuse, not receiving psychological assistance, having significant sexual involvement with men, and experiencing suicidal ideation were more likely to exhibit sexually offensive behaviors. The study underscores the importance of policymakers implementing relevant policies to safeguard boys. In addition, it emphasizes the need for victims to disclose instances of sexual abuse and actively seek psychological intervention.

Influence of the typology and timing of childhood trauma in psychoticism.

Child maltreatment (CM) is associated with psychosis; however little is known about the frequency, type, and timing of abuse in the personality pathology domain of psychoticism (PSY) in the DSM-5. The purpose of this study was to analyze childhood trauma typology and frequency according to gender and to identify sensitive periods of susceptibility to CM in women with high PSY. The Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure (MACE) scale was used to evaluate the frequency, severity and timing of each type of maltreatment. The full sample consisted of 83 participants with different psychiatric diagnoses. Psychoticism was assessed with the DSM-5 Personality Inventory (PID-5). To identify the differences in CM exposure between the PSY+ (high psychoticism) and PSY- (low psychoticism) groups, the Mann-Whitney U test, the chi square test and random forest (RF) test were used. Comparing PSY + and PSY-, revealed gender differences in the impact of abuse, with highly frequent and severe types of abuse, in women. In women, PSY + and PSY-, were differentiated especially in non-verbal emotional abuse, peer physical bullying and parental verbal abuse. Several periods with a major peak at age seven followed by peaks at age 17 and 12 years old were identified. Increased exposure to CM occurs in women with PSY+. A sensitivity to CM exposure during early childhood and late adolescence could be a risk factor for psychoticism in women.

Objective and subjective sleep patterns and biomarkers of stress among women with a history of sexual abuse in childhood.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSSs) and sleep disturbance into adulthood. The latter is thought to emerge from dysregulation in biobehavioral systems, including nighttime hyperarousal; however, studies investigating specific mechanisms to explain these long-term sleep problems are limited. The present study examined presleep arousal, fear of sleep, and the cortisol awakening response (CAR) as putative mediators between PTSS and sleep disturbance in women with a history of CSA. N = 64 cis-gendered women with a self-reported history of CSA completed a baseline diagnostic interview, self-reported mental health and sleep measures, 7 days of actigraphy monitoring with concurrent sleep diary, and 2 days of saliva sampling. PTSSs were not significantly associated with actigraphy-estimated sleep variables but were positively associated with self-reported sleep onset latency (SOL) and negatively associated with self-reported sleep quality. Similarly, PTSSs were not significantly associated with CAR but were associated with higher presleep arousal and fear of sleep ratings. Mediational models identified greater presleep cognitive arousal to partially explain the PTSS-SOL relationship. Specific features of CSA (i.e., age at time of abuse, location of abuse, relationship to the perpetrator) did not moderate this association. Findings suggest that targeting maladaptive cognitions (e.g., worries, rumination) that occur during the presleep period may be a potential intervention target in mitigating sleep disturbance and PTSSs in this population. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

A current view on the neglected topic of male child sexual abuse in the context of literature

AbstractDespite the growing numbers, awareness and reporting rates of male child sexual abuse (MCSA) are still well below the real values, especially in developing countries like Turkey. We examined MCSA to determine the predisposing factors, the characteristics of perpetrators and victims, and the consequences of sexual abuse in a Turkish sample. We retrospectively analysed the files and forensic reports of 51 MCSA victims aged between 6 and 18. The mean age of children was 13.6 ± 3.8 years, and the mean age at the time of abuse was 11.1 ± 3.52. The average exposure time for sexual abuse was 91 ± 226.8 days, and the frequency was 2.4 ± 2.47 times. 17.6 per cent of them had previously been sexually abused. Disclosure times until legal notification was 240.1 ± 552.25 days. Most (56.9 per cent) had suffered anal penetration, developed post traumatic stress disorder, and needed medical treatment. Most perpetrators (58.8 per cent) were strangers outside the family, reaching the children from the neighbourhood. In conclusion, although the number of our sample is limited, the results of our study will contribute valuably to the literature, given that there are few studies on MCSA. Further studies with large samples evaluating MCSA in multidimensional ways are needed to raise awareness and protect vulnerable children.

Maximal Sensitivity to Child Maltreatment at the Ages of 6 and 11 Years is Associated with the Risk of Bipolar Disorder.

Adverse childhood experiences, including child maltreatment (CM), are relevant environmental risk factors for bipolar disorder (BD). However, little is known about the interaction of the type, duration and frequency of abuse with the timing of abuse in BD. The aim of this study was to investigate the different patterns of childhood trauma (frequency, type and chronology) between BD patients and healthy controls (HCs) and to identify BD-sensitive periods of exposure to CM that could influence functioning outcomes. The Maltreatment and Abuse Chronology Exposure (MACE) scale was used to evaluate the importance of the type and timing of maltreatment in a sample of 60 patients diagnosed with euthymic BD. Additionally, 76 HCs were recruited for comparison. All participants were of European-Caucasian origin and were assessed in the 2016-2019 period. To identify the variables that maximally differentiated the type and timing of exposure to CM between the BD and HC groups, a linear mixed effects model and random forest (RF) analyses were applied. We showed that multiplicity and severity, nonverbal emotional abuse, witnessing interparental violence and emotional neglect were the main factors associated with BD. In addition, regarding the occurrence of maltreatment in BD patients, we identified two sensitive periods with a principal peak at the age of 6 and a secondary peak at the age of 11. Functionality at the assessment time was associated with CM in adolescence for both HC and BD participants. Although the sample size and retrospective nature of the MACE instrument were the main limitations of our study, we were unable to explore the role of variables such as sex or socioeconomic status. We concluded that the multiplicity and sensitivity of CM exposure, mainly of the emotional type, during middle childhood are important risk factors for BD, at least in the European-Caucasian cultural setting.

A Recurring Nightmare: Risk and Protective Factors for Revictimization of Child Sexual Abuse in Chile

ABSTRACT Child and adolescent victims of sexual crimes are at high risk for further abuse, which translates in a relatively higher risk of revictimization for a child or adolescent who has already been a victim of sexual abuse, compared to one who has not. Although sexual revictimization has been extensively studied in young and adult populations, much less is known about occurrences in childhood and adolescence. In this vein, this article seeks to identify risk of, and protective factors against, revictimization in a census sample of victims under 18 years of age in Chile. Risk and protective factors were studied in a database of all complaints of sexual offenses against children and adolescents registered at two time-points over two years: first, during 2012, and again through January 2015. Using multiple logistic regression, we identified risk factors associated with the probability of sexual revictimization, such as sex of the perpetrator (OR = 3.6 for female perpetrators), previous sexual offenses attributed to perpetrators (OR = 1.8), age of victim at the time of abuse (6–12 OR = .77; 13–17 = OR = .69), and minimization of abuse (OR = 1.3). Finally, interaction tests identified an association between the sex of the original perpetrator and the sex of the victim, as well as an association between the sex of the original perpetrator and the age of the victim. The implications of these findings for victim protection and victimological public policy are discussed.

Oral cancer among Khat users: finding evidence from DNA analysis of nine cancer-related gene mutations

BackgroundKhat leaves contain the alkaloid cathinone. Research shows that khat might provoke toxicity, mutagenicity, as well as carcinogenicity.MethodsTwo groups were identified as khat abusers and were categorized by abuse time and diagnosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Here, 41 participants from Group 2 were short-term khat users, and 42 participants were long-term khat users. The control group included 30 healthy individuals.The coding exons included nine cancer-related genes and were analysed. The histopathological research was conducted with H&E staining along with the TP53 protein expression by implementing immunohistochemical analyses.ResultsHere, 41 short-term khat users carried seven somatic mutations in four out of nine cancer-related genes: 29/41(70.73%) ARID1A, 24/41(58.53%) MLH1, 34/41(82.92%) PIK3CA and 36/41(87.80%) TP53. The 42 long-term khat users incorporated nine somatic mutations in five out of nin ecancer-related genes: 40/42(95.23%) ARID1A, 36/42(85.71%) ARID2, 29/42(69.04%) PIK3CA, 27/42(64.28%) MLH1, and 35/42(83.33%) TP53. Every khat user had somatic mutations related to OSCC affecting the gingiva and the lower lip. TP53 protein expression was confirmed in all immunohistochemical oral tests. Carcinoma was also positive in the histopathological analysis.ConclusionsKhat is a mutagenic and carcinogenic plant that provoked OSCC among short-term khat users (<15 years of use) and long-term users (>15 years of use).

Abusive Head Trauma through Shaking: Examination of the Perpetrators According to Dating of the Traumatic Event

Effective prevention of abusive head trauma (AHT) requires the identification of potential perpetrators. Current evidence suggests that infant shaking, as a mechanism of AHT, produces immediate symptoms, allowing for the dating of the event based on clinical symptoms. Determining precisely when symptoms occurred may help law enforcement to identify the perpetrator. We retrieved written legal statements and medical records from birth to age at diagnosis of 100 infants consecutively diagnosed with AHT through shaking (2011–17), using forensic expertise files. Timing of abuse allowed for the identification of perpetrators in 91 cases. All abusive events occurred inside a home (parent's or nanny's), never outdoors or in a public place, and always in the presence of only one adult. Approximately one‐third (n = 32) of the perpetrators were males (31 fathers) and two‐thirds (n = 59) were females: 49 of them were the infant's nanny and ten were the infant's mother. Infants were not described as crying habitually. Better knowledge of the context of AHT events and risk situations, including recent implementation of a new or unusual modality of childcare, and being the only adult in a home with an infant, should facilitate prevention, including targeted training and avoidance of situations associated with risk.Key Practitioner Messages Abusive events occur in the presence of a single adult, within the privacy of a home. First signs of abuse most commonly occur in a recent, therefore unusual, form of childcare. With rare exceptions, the perpetrator is either the nanny or one of the parents. Identification of the perpetrator and better knowledge of the context of abuse should allow improving targeted prevention.

Disentangling adversity timing and type: Contrasting theories in the context of maternal prenatal physical and mental health using latent formative models.

Research on the effects of adversity has led to mounting interest in examining the differential impact of adversity as a function of its timing and type. The current study examines whether the effects of different types (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) and timing (i.e., early, middle childhood, adolescence, or adulthood) of adversity on maternal mental and physical health outcomes in pregnancy, are best accounted for by a cumulative model or independent effects model. Women from a prospective pregnancy cohort (N =3,362) reported retrospectively on their experiences of adversity (i.e., physical, sexual, and emotional abuse) in early childhood (0-5 years], middle childhood (6-12 years], adolescence (13-18 years], and adulthood (19+ years]. Measures of overall health, stress, anxiety, and depression were gathered in pregnancy. Results showed that a cumulative formative latent model was selected as more parsimonious than a direct effects model. Results also supported a model where the strength of the effect of adversity did not vary across abuse timing or type. Thus, cumulative adversity resulted in greater physical and mental health difficulties. In conclusion, cumulative adversity is a more parsimonious predictor of maternal physical and mental health outcomes than adversity at any one specific adversity timing or subtype.

How Adults Tell: A Study of Adults' Experiences of Disclosure to Child Protection Social Work Services

This paper presents the findings of a study examining adult disclosures of childhood sexual abuse to child protection social work services in the Republic of Ireland. Limited literature indicates that adults can have negative experiences when disclosing childhood abuse; this is primarily owing to a lack of training, policy and guidance for practitioners, and legal complexities regarding allegations of abuse. This study used a biographic‐narrative interpretive method (BNIM) to gather the experiences of adults who engaged with child protection social work services. The findings were analysed using both BNIM panel analysis and open, axial and selective coding. Six main themes were identified, and the findings are discussed under three headings: (1) the system as a barrier presents the various influences that acted as barriers for adults coming forward to disclose; (2) issues of power examines the influence of power from the time of abuse throughout the adults' life courses and their interactions with services; and (3) the system as a facilitator presents practice and policy recommendations based on participants' narratives and the wider research literature. Implications for child protection practice in this extremely sensitive and sometimes controversial area are considered.‘This study used a biographic‐narrative interpretive method (BNIM) to gather the experiences of adults who engaged with child protection social work services’Key Practitioner Messages A number of complex socioecological factors need to be considered when receiving and assessing adult disclosures of childhood sexual abuse. Dynamics of abuse and disclosure may be similar; any understanding of an experience of childhood sexual abuse should also involve an understanding of experiences of disclosure. Basic practices such as providing information, clarity and frequent communication may address potentially harmful dynamics of power and control that can exist in respect of disclosure of childhood trauma.

Nonfatal use of firearms in intimate partner violence: Results of a national survey

Nonfatal use of firearms in intimate partner violence: Results of a national survey

Sexual Abuse of Children in Turkey: Psychiatric Evaluation of 1785 Cases.

This study aims to investigate the characteristic features of sexual abuse of children with a focus on psychiatric consequences and other associated elements. We evaluated 1785 child sexual abuse cases who were referred to the Ondokuz Mayis University Faculty of Medicine Forensic Medicine Department for examination and forensic reports during the 14-year period between 2006 - 2019. The study involved the examination of the patient files/records of victims of child sexual abuse. The girls represented 81.8% of victims of sexual abuse, while all perpetrators were male. The mean ages at the time of abuse were 12.7±3.1 (2-17) years in girls and 10.7±3.2 (2-17) years in boys. In vast majority of the cases, perpetrators were found to be acquaintances of the victims (87.2%). 43% of child sexual abuse cases involved penetration. Psychological examination revealed that psychiatric pathology developed in 64.6% of the children who were exposed to sexual abuse. Being female, the presence of penetration and the presence of incest significantly increased the development of any psychiatric pathologies. Sexual abuse of children is a multidimensional public health problem. Additional education services to raise awareness of the children and their relatives, and the establishment of social and legal support schemes for victims and the families for sexual abuse and its consequences are deemed necessary.

Estimation of the Development of Depression and PTSD in Children Exposed to Sexual Abuse and Development of Decision Support Systems by Using Artificial Intelligence

ABSTRACT The most common diagnoses after childhood sexual abuse are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression. The aim of this study is to design a decision support system to help psychiatry physicians in the treatment of childhood sexual abuse. Computer aided decision support system (CADSS) based on ANN, which predicts the development of PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, using different parameters of the act of abuse and patients was designed. The data of 149 girls and 21 boys who were victims of sexual abuse were included in the study. In the designed CADDS, the gender of the victim, the type of sexual abuse, the age of exposure, the duration until reporting, the time of abuse, the proximity of the abuser to the victim, number of sexual abuse, whether the child is exposed to threats and violence during the abuse, the person who reported the event, and the intelligence level of the victim are used as input parameters. The average accuracy values for all three designed systems were calculated as 99.2%. It has been shown that the system designed by using these data can be used safely in the psychiatric assessment process, in order to differentiate psychiatric diagnoses in the early post-abuse period.

Child sexual abuse disclosures: Does age make a difference?

Child sexual abuse disclosures: Does age make a difference?

Children’s disclosures of sexual abuse in a population-based sample

Children’s disclosures of sexual abuse in a population-based sample

Features and consequences of gender violence: Study of cases confirmed by a conviction

Features and consequences of gender violence: Study of cases confirmed by a conviction

Características y consecuencias de la violencia de género: estudio de casos confirmados por sentencia judicial

Características y consecuencias de la violencia de género: estudio de casos confirmados por sentencia judicial

Unprotected In an Islamic Country; Experiences of Childhood Sexual Abuse among Pakistani Women

This study qualitatively explored the experiences of childhood sexual abuse in females. Semi structured interviews with open ended questions were used to obtain in-depth information about various aspects of this experience, ; perpetrator characteristics, type and frequency of abuse, victim’s response/reaction, reporting to family or other adults, treatment seeking treatment and perceived effects on mental and physical health. The participants were approached through snow ball sampling. 5 females of different backgrounds and ages who gave consent to share personal information were interviewed. Their verbatim were transcribed and content analyzed. The results of the interviews after content analyzed were that their current age, ages at time of abuse, reporting experiences, relationship with abuser, psychological reactions and counseling sought of or not. To lend support to findings of first study, as a next step, three anonymous stories were selected from the internet and content analyzed. The findings of the study revealed that incident of abuse at home have higher frequency then outside. Three out of five participants were abused by their close relatives, 2 were abused by family friends. Most common form was kissing, touching body parts and showing pornography. The reaction of the family mostly was not supportive. The emotional effects were: sad mood and feeling of unhappy and isolation, worthless and crying episodes. Physical effects ere palpitation, trembling and increasing heart beat immediately after abuse. Some victims of sexual abuse felt sexual repulsion and have difficulty accepting closeness to men. 3 out of 5 participants sought counseling but 1 of 3 participants took counseling after very long time. Two women reported taking sleeping pills for the quality of sleep. So, collectively, from interviews and stories, it was found that the impact of sexual abuse remains same across cultures.

Risk factors that influence the maltreatment-offending association: A systematic review of prospective and longitudinal studies

Risk factors that influence the maltreatment-offending association: A systematic review of prospective and longitudinal studies

Child sexual abuse and family outcomes

This study aimed to examine the association between different characteristics of sexual abuse and adverse family outcomes in later life. Through archived court files, a large sample of Dutch men and women who have been sexually abused as a child could be identified. Outcome variables were assessed 33 years after the abuse, when the victims were 44 years of age on average. Being abused by a nuclear family member was associated with teen pregnancies, young marriage, and divorce. Younger ages at time of abuse were related to decreased marriage rates. Penetration, violence, and repeated victimization were not related to adverse outcomes. We found that these effects were not the same for males and females. Furthermore, compared to the average Dutch population, CSA victims experienced more divorce, and female CSA victims were more often childless, had more children, and more often were teenage parents.