Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and intimate partner violence (IPV) are both crimes with high prevalence rates which frequently have females as their victims. Survivors of each are frequently found in psychotherapy, yet to date few studies have examined the interaction between each form of gender violence. The present study looked at several ways in which CSA and IPV interact, including assessing prevalence rates of CSA among female IPV survivors, examining somatic difficulties found among female CSA survivors who are also survivors of IPV vs. female non-CSA IPV survivor controls, and by exploring body image and sexual difficulties found among female CSA survivors who are also survivors of IPV vs. female non-CSA IPV survivor controls. Participants were a sample of 140 women with a history of domestic violence recruited from a variety of settings including community mental health facilities and correctional facilities. Results showed that all three forms of childhood maltreatment studied (CSA, childhood physical abuse (CPA), and childhood witnessing of IPV) were elevated among survivors of IPV; rates of CSA were 51.4% within our sample of female survivors of IPV, rates of CPA were 52.1%, and rates of childhood witnessing of IPV were 67.1% within the same sample. Among various somatic complaints studied (sleep difficulties, depression, eating difficulties, and weight problems), female CSA survivors of IPV evidenced higher rates of childhood sleep difficulties, childhood and adulthood depression, and adulthood eating difficulties than did female non-CSA IPV survivor controls. While participants overall evidenced high rates of problems with body image and sexuality, there were no significant differences between female CSA survivors of IPV and female non-CSA IPV survivor controls within this study. Possible reasons underlying the latter negative findings were discussed. Both groups showed higher rates of body image and sexual dysfunction than would be predicted for normative participants, though given the absence of a normal control group in the present study it is difficult to discern how much higher these rates might be.

The study sought to examine the influence of differences in perception of the family environment on adjustment following child sexual abuse. Eighty-eight children who had been sexually abused and their caregivers completed self-report measures regarding the Relationship Dimension of the Family Environment Scale (FES). Adjustment was measured by child report of posttraumatic stress and sexual concerns on the Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children (TSC-C) and depression on the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Parent's report of adjustment was based on endorsement of internalizing and externalizing behaviors on the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Analysis revealed elevated expressiveness for parents and children, higher conflict and lower cohesion reported by adolescents (12- 18), and lower conflict endorsed by children (6-11) as compared to the normative sample. Differences were noted in adolescent perception of conflict as compared to their primary caregiver; however, adolescent discrepancy scores of the family environment did not predict outcome. Caregivers reported higher internalizing and externalizing behaviors for the sample as compared to the normative sample.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether or not adults who were child incest participants exhibited greater personality adjustment problems than adults who were not child incest participants. The sample consisted of undergraduate students of The University of Arizona who had volunteered to participate in the study. Each student completed the Personal Orientation Inventory as a measure of personality adjustments, and a questionnaire adapted from the David Finkelhor Questionnaire, which placed each respondent into one of four groups. Group 1 respondents reported having had a childhood sexual experience with another child (a friend or a sibling). Group 2 respondents reported having had a childhood sexual experience with an adult who was not a family member. Group 3 respondents, the child incest participants, reported having had a childhood sexual experience with an adult who was a family member. Group 4 respondents reported having had no childhood sexual experiences. The data was analyzed in two 4 x 2 factorial analyses of variance. The P.O.I. scale scores and subscale scores were the dependent measures of personality adjustment. The independent measures of the first analysis were group membership and gender; of the second analysis, group membership and age. No statistically significant differences among the groups were found on any of the eight P.O.I. scale scores. There were statistically significant effects due to gender on three of the eight P.O.I. scales, females tending to score higher than males. The one exception to that trend was on the Time Competent scale, on which the males of Group 3 scored higher than the females of Group 3. Although that reversal trend occurred, there were no statistically significant interaction effects between group membership and gender. There were statistically significant effects due to age on two of the eight P.O.I. scales, older persons tending to score higher than younger persons. The one exception to this trend was on the Spontaneity subscale, on which the younger persons of Group 4 scored higher than the older persons. This reversal did result in a statistically significant interaction effect between group membership and age. The results of this study, although limited in scope, indicate that not all adults who were child incest participants exhibit greater personality adjustment problems than adults who were not child incest participants.

The present study of all cases of substantiated child sexual abuse received by a local social service agency in 1981 examined (a) the relationship of early contact between perpetrator and victim to such mitigating factors as attachment and intergenerational boundaries (b) the impact of the incest taboo on the severity of abuse and (c) a variety of descriptive variables to identify various characteristics of incestuous families and the services they recieve. Chi square analyses failed to identify differences between groups in the severity of sexual abuse. However, the sample was not similar to those reported in the literature--containing a high percentage of unemployment, prior marriages, criminal history and prior referrals for child abuse, suggesting that this sample of perpetrators did differ significantly from the general population and from the populations which have been reported in other studies.

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This dissertation’s analyses examined the association of caregiver, child, abuse and investigation characteristics with maternal response and emotional harm among families for whom child sexual abuse (CSA) was suspected or substantiated. Method This study was based on secondary analysis of data collected in the Canadian Incidence Study of Report Child Abuse and Neglect 1998. The current analysis was limited to 373 CSA investigations for which there was a female non-offending caregiver and complete data on maternal response. Bivariate and hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted for two outcomes; maternal response and emotional harm. Results According to social worker assessment, the majority of female non-offending caregivers (87.1%) of children investigated for suspected or substantiated child sexual abuse responded with belief of the abuse disclosure, emotional support and protection of the child victim. The overall maternal response model was significant and accounted for 40.8% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Factors significantly associated with maternal response in the multivariate model included maternal mental health, age of the child, child’s manifestation of sexualized behavior, child’s relationship to the perpetrator, duration of abuse and co-occurring maltreatment. The overall emotional harm model was significant and accounted for 18.3% of the variance (Nagelkerke R2). Age of the child at the time of investigation, inappropriate sexualized behavior and substantiation level were significant predictors in the final block of the emotional harm regression equation. Maternal response was no longer significantly associated with emotional harm when the analysis adjusted for child characteristics. Conclusion Consistent with previous research, the majority of non-offending mothers investigated as part of the CIS-98 responded to CSA disclosure with belief, emotional support and protection as determined by the social worker’s assessment. The current study supports the cumulative evidence that caregiver mental health, age of the child and the child’s relationship with the offender are significant predictors of negative maternal response and emotional harm. Although negative maternal response failed to predict emotional harm among children investigated for CSA, continued examination of the risk factors associated with maternal response is warranted to ensure the safety of a small, yet vulnerable segment of children.

The purpose of the current study is to better understand the experience of healing after childhood sexual abuse (CSA) through analysis of existing survivor narratives. Traditionally, study of CSA survivors has been approached from a point of view that categorizes their response to abuse a deficit or disorder. A recent movement in the study of CSA has been toward viewing CSA survivors in terms of resilience and healing. The current research study is informed from the social constructivist paradigm, and uses narrative and hermeneutics to gain a better understanding of healing from CSA by examining existing narratives of healing written by survivors. The method of narrative analysis employed is Lieblich Tuval-Mashiach & Zilber’s (1998) holistic-content approach. After interpreting each individual narrative, an overarching analysis was generated by interpretation of commonalities across memoirs. The narratives and my subsequent analysis of the narratives generated a storied construction of healing, organized into three themes: The Process of Transformation, From the Private to the Public, and Connecting to Others. The results are discussed in light of the socio-cultural and political landscapes, as well as in terms of the concept of self-compassion. Strengths and limitations of the study, as well as considerations for future research are considered

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Sexual assault of men is a serious social problem and has drawn well deserved attention from many different researchers as well as the general public. Even though there is much concern and interest in this troubling crime, limited research has been conducted on the long-term effects of sexual abuse on male survivors. Using data collected by the Virginia Department of Health, this study investigated the effects of sexual abuse of men. Specifically, this inquiry examined specific emotional and physical conditions as potential consequences of sexual victimization among men and the extent to which those conditions vary between male victims and male non-victims. Using Chi-Square tests of independence this study found that survivorship is related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, and suicidal tendencies. A statistically significant association was not found regarding alcohol and drug use, or self-rated health. Further research is recommended to investigate the health seeking behaviors among survivors and also how one’s adherence to masculine values influences their recovery from a sexual abuse.

The thesis deals with the topic of sexual offences investigation. Given its complexity, the thesis only focuses on particular issues, namely the special investigation procedure used in the cases of sexual offences committed against children. The thesis aims to provide overview of individual investigation procedures used in those special cases, to point out their advantages and disadvantages, and to explain reasons why sexual offences against children need to be treated differently. The thesis includes fourteen chapters dividend into sub-chapters. In the introductory part, the main of objectives of the thesis are defined; the following first chapter focuses on the term sexual exploitation and describes the legislation on this issue in the Czech Republic. The second chapter outlines typical ways of committing this type of offence; the third and fourth chapters focus on the subjects of sexual offences, both the offender and the victim, and answer the question if there is a typical victim and a typical sexual offender. The fifth to twelfth chapters look at investigation of sexual offences from the criminological point of view, mainly at the special nature of preliminary and subsequent acts. This part also focuses on interviewing child victims, when it is of great importance to respect and take into...