scholarly journals Survivors of childhood sexual abuse: approaches to therapy

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 96-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Crowe ◽  
Christopher Dare
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
General Population ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Best Estimate ◽  
The Usa

The experience of sexual abuse in childhood is very common (Jehu, 1988). The highest estimate from the USA (Wyatt & Peters, 1986) suggests that 42% of girls up to the age of 17 have experienced abuse, and the best estimate from Britain (Baker & Duncan, 1985) would give a prevalence of between 12 and 20%. Mullen et al (1993) found in a general population of women in New Zealand an overall prevalence of abuse before the age of 16 of 32%, with 20% reporting genital contact and 3% penetrative sex. In the American series half of those abused (21% of the respondents) reported that the abuse was by a family member: the figure for intra-familial abuse in the British series was 14% of those reporting abuse, and thus about 3–5% of all the women who responded. There may be many explanations for the large international variations, including differences in definition, sampling and other aspects of methodology, but it is also possible that abuse is indeed more common in some countries than others.

Inconsistent retrospective self-reports of childhood sexual abuse and their correlates in the general population

2014 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 603-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Willemien Langeland ◽  
Jan H. Smit ◽  
Harald Merckelbach ◽  
Gerard de Vries ◽  
Adriaan W. Hoogendoorn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
General Population ◽  
Self Reports

The ‘Anatomy’ of Female Child Sexual Abuse: Who does what to Young Girls?

1996 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 319-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah E. Romans ◽  
Judy L. Martin ◽  
Jessie C. Anderson ◽  
Martine L. O'shea ◽  
Paul E. Mullen
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Child Sexual Abuse ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Female Child ◽  
Her Family ◽  
Sexually Abusive ◽  
Female Children ◽  
Stranger Danger

Objective: This paper aims to describe the characteristics of sexually abusive acts experienced by female children in order to identify those perpetrators who inflict intrusive and repeated child sexual abuse (CSA). Method: Data were collected from a random New Zealand sample of women aged 18 to 65 years who reported CSA, and a similar number of non-abused comparison women. Information on the perpetrator, the type of CSA, and perpetrator strategies were cross-tabulated. Results: The perpetrators were usually young men, well known to the victim or her family. Greater CSA intrusiveness was statistically associated with greater CSA frequency. Father/stepfather abusers were most likely to perpetrate intrusive and frequent CSA. However, family associates and non-paternal relatives were numerically more often reported as perpetrators than fathers/stepfathers. Stranger-perpetrators featured infrequently. Conclusion: We conclude that the most frequent and invasive CSA comes from someone well known to the child, particularly a family member or trusted friend. A focus by the courts or health professionals on either incest only (i.e. CSA between biological relatives) or ‘stranger danger’ will overlook the large categories of CSA perpetrated by secondary relative and family friend abusers.

The Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Psychological Distress Among Women in New Zealand

2012 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross A. Flett ◽  
Nikolaos Kazantzis ◽  
Nigel R. Long ◽  
Carol MacDonald ◽  
Michelle Millar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
The Impact

scholarly journals Impact of childhood sexual abuse on the emotions and behaviours of adult men from three ethnic groups in the USA

2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer Shepard Payne ◽  
Frank H. Galvan ◽  
John K. Williams ◽  
Missy Prusinski ◽  
Muyu Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Ethnic Groups ◽  
Adult Men ◽  
The Usa

DISSOCIATION, COMORBIDITY OF DISSOCIATIVE DISORDERS, AND CHILDHOOD ABUSE IN A COMMUNITY SAMPLE OF WOMEN WITH CURRENT AND PAST BULIMIA

2000 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Groth-Marnat ◽  
Naomi Michel
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
General Population ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Community Sample ◽  
Clinical Interview ◽  
Dissociative Disorders ◽  
Dissociative Disorder ◽  
Dsm Iv

Dissociation and childhood sexual abuse were examined in a community sample of current bulimics (N=47), past bulimics (N=29), and non-bulimic controls (N=37). All respondents completed questionnaires requesting information relating to bulimia, dissociation, and incidence and severity of childhood sexual abuse. Participants scoring high on the measure of dissociation (N=21) were further assessed with a structured clinical interview to determine the proportion who would fulfill the formal criteria for a DSM-IV dissociative disorder. Results indicated that dissociation was highest among current bulimics, and that past bulimics had lower levels of dissociation than current bulimics (although higher than non-bulimic controls). However, there was no association between level of dissociation and incidence of reported childhood sexual abuse. In addition, the incidence of childhood sexual abuse was no higher among bulimics than among the general population – although the severity of the abuse was reported to have been higher. The severity of self-reported childhood sexual abuse was also found to be higher among current bulimics than among past bulimics. Comorbidity of DSM-IV dissociative disorders among current bulimics was found to be 10%.

scholarly journals Classes of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Women’s Adult Couple Relationships

2010 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 518-535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bronwyn Watson ◽  
W. Kim Halford
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Family Member ◽  
Latent Class ◽  
Relationship Functioning ◽  
Relationship Problems ◽  
Childhood Experiences ◽  
Close Family Member ◽  
Family Abuse

The current study assessed if childhood sexual abuse (CSA) can be meaningfully classified into classes, based on the assumption that abuse by a close family member differs in important ways from other abuse, and whether abuse classes were differentially associated with couple relationship problems. The childhood experiences and adult relationships of 1,335 Australian women (18–41 years) were assessed. Latent class analysis identified three classes of CSA: that perpetrated by a family member, friend, or stranger, which differed markedly on most aspects of the abuse. Family abuse was associated with the highest risk for adult relationship problems, with other classes of CSA having a significant but weaker association with adult relationship problems. CSA is heterogeneous with respect the long-term consequences for adult relationship functioning.

scholarly journals Stigma as a barrier to addressing childhood trauma in conversation with trauma survivors: A study in the general population

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (10) ◽  
pp. e0258782
Author(s):  
Georg Schomerus ◽  
Stephanie Schindler ◽  
Theresia Rechenberg ◽  
Tobias Gfesser ◽  
Hans J. Grabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
General Population ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Childhood Trauma ◽  
Social Distance ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Childhood Physical Abuse ◽  
Negative Stereotypes

Victims of childhood trauma report shame and anticipation of stigma, leading to non-disclosure and avoidance of help. Stigma is potentially aggravating the mental health consequences of childhood trauma. So far there is no comprehensive study examining stigma toward adult survivors of various forms of childhood trauma, and it is unclear whether stigma interferes with reaching out to affected individuals. In a vignette study based on a representative sample of the German general population (N = 1320; 47.7% male) we randomly allocated participants to brief case vignettes pertaining to past childhood sexual/physical abuse or accidents, and adult physical abuse. Stigma was elicited by applying the Social Distance Scale, assessing respondents’ attitudes/stereotypes toward the persons in the vignette and their reluctance to address the specific trauma in conversation. While one aim was to establish the prevalence of stigma toward persons with CT, we hypothesized that attitudes differ according to type of trauma. Of the respondents, 45% indicated they were unlikely to reach out to a victim of childhood sexual abuse, 38% to a victim of childhood physical abuse, 31% to someone reporting a childhood accident and 25% to someone reporting adult physical abuse. Contrary to our expectations, childhood sexual abuse did not consistently elicit more stigma than childhood physical abuse in Krukall-Wallis tests. Equally, childhood interpersonal trauma did not consistently elicit more stigma than childhood accidental trauma. Structural equation modeling revealed social distance as mediator of the relationship between negative stereotypes and reluctance to address childhood trauma in conversation. Our analyses further revealed an ambiguous role of negative stereotypes in addressing childhood trauma in conversation with trauma victims, which has yet to be examined. There is evidence for stigma associated with having survived childhood trauma, which is interfering with offering help.

Effects of Trauma and Religiosity on Self-Esteem

2008 ◽  
Vol 102 (3) ◽  
pp. 779-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Reiland ◽  
Dean Lauterbach
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Abuse ◽  
Childhood Sexual Abuse ◽  
Physical Abuse ◽  
Childhood Abuse ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Religious Practices ◽  
Religious Service Attendance ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Exposure To Trauma

Self-esteem is often lower among persons who have experienced trauma, but religiosity may ameliorate these psychological effects. The purpose of this paper was to examine the relationships among religiosity, self-esteem, and childhood exposure to trauma, utilizing data from the National Comorbidity Survey, a large (N = 8,098) nationally representative population survey in the 48 contiguous states of the USA that assessed religious practices, self-esteem, and exposure to trauma. Exposure to trauma in childhood was assessed through self-report of presence or absence of childhood physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect. Religiosity was assessed as the sum of responses to 4 self-report items (religious service attendance, use of religion for comfort and guidance, and importance of religion). Self-esteem was assessed on 9 self-report items adapted from the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Analysis of variance compared scores for persons who reported exposure to childhood abuse and differed in the value they placed on various religious practices on self-esteem. Persons who reported physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect in childhood had significantly lower mean self-esteem than those who did not report these events. There was also a main effect for religiosity in a comparison of persons who reported childhood sexual abuse with those who reported none. The High Religiosity group had higher mean self-esteem than the Medium and Low Religiosity groups. There was a significant interaction as those who reported childhood sexual abuse had lower mean self-esteem than peers who reported none in the Low and Medium Religiosity groups. Mean self-esteem for those who reported childhood sexual abuse was comparable to that of those who reported none in the High Religiosity group.

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