Journal of Child Sexual Abuse最新文献

Various studies have concluded that parents are the main social actors in protecting children from sexual abuse. The purpose of this study was to explore mothers' knowledge about child sexual abuse (CSA), as well as their skills, and their main needs to identify and prevent it. We conducted an explorative qualitative study. We collected the data using semi-structured interviews with 16 mothers from elementary schools in two states in Mexico. The main results indicate that mothers knew what CSA is, as well as its causes and consequences, but require more training and support in order to identify and prevent it effectively. Most of the participants acknowledged the difficulty they have in discussing sexuality issues with their children and would not know how to proceed in case of CSA, nevertheless they are interested in receiving information because they believe their children could be at risk.

Millions of children around the globe experience abuse every year, with over a thousand children dying within the United States in 2020 alone as a result of child abuse. Child abuse can take different shapes, such as physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, all of which can leave a lasting impact on the victim which can alter their childhood as well as their adulthood. Two aspects of adulthood that can be impacted by childhood abuse that are addressed within this article are attachment style and sexual satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between childhood physical abuse, childhood sexual abuse, adult attachment, and adult sexual satisfaction. This study has accomplished this by using a mediating model with adult attachment as the mediator in a sample of 30,507 partnered adults from a cohort study. Results from the mediation analysis illustrated significant, albeit modest in size, negative links between childhood physical abuse and adult sexual satisfaction through levels of adult attachment insecurity. These results are important as they encourage clinicians to consider the indirect impact events can have on individuals, the importance of considering contextual factors, and thinking systemically when examining the connection between events and concerns our clients present us with. Analyzing and understanding these dynamics can allow clinicians to better support their clients when addressing the impacts of child abuse, insecure adult attachment, and sexual dissatisfaction in adulthood.

Considering the damaging effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) on survivors' mental health, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of shame-proneness and sexual shame in the long-term psychological effects of CSA. Shame has been implicated as a post-trauma response and key factor in long-term outcomes. As CSA is sexual in nature, this study examined the pathways from CSA to depression via both shame-proneness and sexual shame, as well as the moderating role of view of God. Cross-sectional data was collected through online surveys from adults who reported believing in God (N = 1055). Analyses consisted of a parallel mediation model and a series of moderated mediation models. Findings supported significant indirect effects of CSA on depression through separate pathways of sexual shame and shame-proneness, which explained 62.8% of the variance in depression. Surprisingly, for believers, perceiving God as loving strengthened the effect of CSA on sexual shame, which subsequently corresponded to increases in depression. These findings have critical implications for working with CSA survivors, denoting the relevance of both shame-proneness and sexual shame as key pathways to psychopathology, which may be exacerbated by certain views of God.

This commentary presents a framework guided by contemporary research for the new area of the field of sexual abuse: technology-facilitated youth sexual abusers (TFYSA), extrapolated from studies one representative validation and cross-validation samples (totaling 3,901 youth). The samples were employed in validating a risk assessment tool for youth (adjudicated and non-adjudicated) who engage in persistent coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviors. The artifacts for the nomenclature for TFYSA were also extrapolated by victims' reports from several sources providing information and descriptive variables of the perpetrators of their trauma. Thus, the combined information on sexual development of youth from the Zeitgeist era, the validation study samples in a risk assessment study, coupled with the information provided by victims who suffered sexual trauma (i.e. direct contact and online), are the primary source data to create the nomenclature for TFYSA.

The Roman Catholic Church provides a fruitful contextual basis for assessing good faith reporting of child sexual abuse. Drawing on the literature of organizational decoupling and organizational misconduct reporting, content analysis of recently implemented web-based reporting mechanisms and safeguarding policies of 30 Catholic dioceses across Canada was used to study misconduct and abuse reporting practices in this institution. Our findings provide evidence of gaps and inconsistencies with regard to accessibility and visibility in reporting mechanisms and corresponding communications on diocesan websites. Most dioceses seem to continue to prioritize internal reporting to church officials over reporting to civil authorities. Discourse analysis reveals that in some cases reporting practices appear to be decoupled from RCC policy and values. We conclude with a discussion and implications for research and practice.

This qualitative research study explored social media, particularly Instagram, as a platform for disclosures of sexual violence among college students. Given the stigma and victim-blame often associated with formal disclosures, anonymous social media platforms can offer survivors a unique space to share their stories, build community, and engage in activism. This research seeks to contribute to the ongoing scholarship about the role of digital platforms in supporting survivors. The study analyzed 232 posts from an Instagram profile dedicated to survivors of campus sexual violence, collected between May 2020 and June 2023. Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis. Themes that emerged showed the importance of an anonymous and public space for disclosure, reflections of sexual violence within the specific context of campus environments, and dynamics of consent. Understanding the role of social media within the context of student disclosures of sexual violence has the potential to enhance the existing knowledge of student experiences, which, in turn, can inform how campuses respond to sexual violence, including the tailoring of prevention, intervention, and policy efforts focused on supporting students after trauma, along with resources for mental health clinicians.

It is developmentally normal for children to display some sexual behaviors but concerning sexual behaviors (CSBs) that deviate from societal norms are potentially harmful. The development of CSBs is influenced by various factors, including family dynamics, parental stressors, and disruptions in psychosexual development. Historically, sexual abuse was seen as the primary cause of CSBs, but current research suggests that nonsexual abuse and family environment also play significant roles. This scoping review synthesized literature on the psychological characteristics of children and youth who engage in sexual contact with animals, providing guidance for practitioners. The 17 studies reviewed, primarily from the U.S. documented a range of sexual behaviors toward animals by youth. These youths were often linked to troubled backgrounds and mental health issues, though some cases showed no significant psychological problems. The findings underscore the need for thorough psychological assessment to determine if these behaviors are isolated incidents or part of a broader pattern requiring intervention. This study highlights the lack of research in this area and the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, emphasizing that these behaviors are often associated with mental health issues and family instability, making early intervention crucial.

Sexual minority (SM) men's sexual revictimization (SR; i.e. experiences of adult victimization among childhood sexual abuse survivors) is an understudied topic despite evidence that SM men are disproportionately impacted by sexual violence (SV) over the life course. This study addresses this gap utilizing a diverse sample (n = 2859) of SM men (age 18-30) from the U.S. Results demonstrated that over 10% of SM men had experienced SR. Further, strength-based (e.g. sense of LGBTQIA2S+ community) and minority-stress (e.g. internalized homonegativity) related factors were examined as moderators of the relationship between child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual assault victimization (ASAV) in the past six months. One factor emerged as a significant moderator of the CSA-ASAV relationship: perceived discrimination. Practice-based implications are provided.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms are frequent in child victims of sexual abuse. Authors argued that early trauma could lead to alterations in development that go far beyond the primary symptoms of PTSD and have proposed that Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) involving alterations in attachment, biology, affect regulation, consciousness, behavioral regulation, cognition, and self-concept, may better describe children experiencing chronic trauma at an early developmental stage. The aim of the study was to disentangle the diversity of profiles in child victims of sexual abuse based on the C-PTSD framework. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct subgroups in a sample of 861 sexually abused children aged 6 to 12. Children and their non-offending parents completed questionnaires evaluating PTSD symptoms and measures documenting alterations in development characteristics of C-PTSD. Latent profile analysis identified a best-fitting model consisting of three profiles: PTSD (40.7% of children), Resilient (32.8% of children), and C-PTSD (26.5% of children). Compared to others, children in the C-PTSD profile were more likely to have experienced more forms of interpersonal trauma and showed impairments in several domains. Findings underscore the importance of tailoring interventions to efficiently address the needs of young victims of sexual trauma.

Characteristics associated with individuals who frequent the emergency department at higher rates have been well established; however, factors associated with greater emergency department visits following a recent sexual assault are largely unknown. The current study evaluated the associations between pre-assault factors such as substance use and physical injuries, assault characteristics such as genital injury, non-genital injury, alcohol or drug use involvement, intimate partner involvement, and emergency department visits one-year after a sexual assault medical forensic exam (SAMFE). The current study included a medical record review of 123 individuals who received a SAMFE at a hospital in the United States. Demographic variables, characteristics of the sexual assault, pre-sexual assault diagnoses, frequency of SAMFEs, and post-SAMFE emergency department visits were examined. A negative binomial regression was used to examine these factors on post-SAMFE emergency department visits. Results indicated that alcohol or drug use during an assault was associated with fewer emergency department visits post-SAMFE. Substance use and physical injury disorders pre-SAMFE were positively associated with post-SAMFE emergency department visits. Findings provide important insight for prevention strategies to potentially increase access to mental and physical health care post-assault to reduce the risk of repeated emergency department visits among recent survivors of sexual assault.