La vittima di abuso e il pericolo di abuso da parte delle istituzioni

- This article analyzes the encounter between children who are victims of sexual abuse within the family and the judicial system; it shows the various conditions that could determine forms of secondary victimization. Various phases are analyzed in which the minor is involved: the disclosure of abuse, the interrogation, the psychological forensic assessment and the legal assistance to the victim. The purpose of this article is both to make clear that in cases of sexual abuse different procedures may be adopted before different judicial authorities and supply useful information to different protagonists to integrate their competencies with the aim of effective protection of victims.Key words: sexual abuse, disclosure, psychological forensic assessment, victimization.Parole chiave: abuso sessuale, rivelazione, perizia psicologica, vittimizzazione.

Metodi di valutazione dell'abuso sessuale sui minori: č ammissibile, ed č utile, il testing psicometrico?

- The article focuses the strongly criticized use of psychometric tests in the evaluation of children sexual abuse. The use of inventories and projective techniques as Rorschach, thematic and design-based tests, is useful to assess the psychic consequences after the abuse and to plan a therapeutic intervention. But the reliability and the discriminant validity of the indicators derived from the tests are reduced when the aim of the assessment is to search for signs of an hypothesized abuse. Results of empirical studies regarding these issues are reported, suggesting that a proper use of psychometric tests in juridical settings requests interpretive caution.Key words: sexual abuse, assessment, psychometric tests, projective techniques.Parole chiave: abuso sessuale, assessment, test psicometrici, tecniche proiettive.