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This study examines primary school educators' attitudes towards the sexual abuse of children in a South African black community. The aims of this study are threefold: to assess educators' knowledge and attitudes towards, and management recommendations for child sexual abuse. to examine differences in the attitudes of male and female educators and lastly, to look at differences in opinions of different age groups of educators. A sample of 155 educators in the Edendale area was randomly selected. These schools fall under the ex- Department of Education and Training and are traditional African schools. Educators were asked to read a case vignette describing a child sexual abuse case. They were then asked to respond to a questionnaire divided into three categories - knowledge, attitudes and management recommendations. Educators were asked to indicate the extent to which they agreed with the various statements. The data was analysed using means, frequencies and standard deviations for each statement. To examine the effects of age and gender, chi-square tests for independent samples were conducted per statement. Results showed that teachers have some knowledge in the area of child sexual abuse and were able to identify emotional and behavioural signs in the classroom, but that they had insufficient knowledge about the incestuous abuse of children. Results also indicated that teachers have a positive attitude towards intervention. Teachers agreed that a child needs to receive treatment from psychologists and that abuse should not be kept secret. In looking at significant differences in the gender of the educators, it appeared that more female teachers thought that young children are more traumatized by abuse than older children, and that more female teachers felt that a child should directly confront the perpetrator. Lastly, results showed that teachers know some procedures for dealing with abused children. In-service training was recommended as a means of helping teachers deal effectively with sexually abused children. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

All forms of child abuse are associated with a variety of short- and long-term negative effects. In particular, adult victims of child abuse have been known to experience more insecure forms of attachment to significant others in adulthood (McCarthy & Taylor, 1999; Muller, Lemieux, & Sicoli, 2001). It was hypothesized that particular forms of child abuse would be associated with particular forms of insecure attachment in adulthood and that adult attachment style would act as a mediator between child abuse history and negative outcomes. Five hundred fifty-two female and 294 male university student completed questionnaires on their child abuse history, adult attachment style, self-esteem, current psychological symptoms and a number of demographic variables. Regression analyses, ANCOVA’s and bootstrapping mediation analyses were completed. Physical abuse was associated with attachment avoidance and psychological maltreatment was associated with attachment anxiety. Some support was also found for associations between neglect and physical abuse with attachment anxiety. Sexual abuse was not associated with either attachment avoidance or attachment anxiety. Social support, as a control variable, was also found to be an important predictor of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety. While it was hypothesized that there would be differences between high and low severity sexual and physical abuse on adult attachment anxiety, no statistically significant differences were found. Both attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety were found to partially mediate the relationships between child abuse and psychological symptoms and child abuse and self-esteem. These findings provide more detailed information regarding the importance of adult attachment in the area of child abuse and implications for the support and treatment of child abuse victims. One’s child abuse history can provide important information regarding one’s attachment tendencies in adulthood impacting important adult relationships including the therapy relationship.

All forms of child abuse are associated with a variety of short- and long-term negative effects. In particular, adult victims of child abuse have been known to experience more insecure forms of attachment to significant others in adulthood (McCarthy & Taylor, 1999; Muller, Lemieux, & Sicoli, 2001). It was hypothesized that particular forms of child abuse would be associated with particular forms of insecure attachment in adulthood and that adult attachment style would act as a mediator between child abuse history and negative outcomes. Five hundred fifty-two female and 294 male university student completed questionnaires on their child abuse history, adult attachment style, self-esteem, current psychological symptoms and a number of demographic variables. Regression analyses, ANCOVA’s and bootstrapping mediation analyses were completed. Physical abuse was associated with attachment avoidance and psychological maltreatment was associated with attachment anxiety. Some support was also found for associations between neglect and physical abuse with attachment anxiety. Sexual abuse was not associated with either attachment avoidance or attachment anxiety. Social support, as a control variable, was also found to be an important predictor of attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety. While it was hypothesized that there would be differences between high and low severity sexual and physical abuse on adult attachment anxiety, no statistically significant differences were found. Both attachment avoidance and attachment anxiety were found to partially mediate the relationships between child abuse and psychological symptoms and child abuse and self-esteem. These findings provide more detailed information regarding the importance of adult attachment in the area of child abuse and implications for the support and treatment of child abuse victims. One’s child abuse history can provide important information regarding one’s attachment tendencies in adulthood impacting important adult relationships including the therapy relationship.

Diverse, but significant, phenomena have combined to raise both the profile of issues related to religion and child abuse and the need for professionals to understand and respond appropriately to them. The nature of some of these issues is explored and attempts made to clarify them. Data collected by the author primarily from questionnaires completed by professionals involved in child protection and safeguarding work are analysed and discussed. Some patterns are identified and explored. Finally, it is suggested that, despite the apparent emergence of a more general recognition and acknowledgement of these issues amongst many professionals, relevant day-to-day practice remains largely dependent on individual views and attitudes. Moreover, practitioners are able to continue with `religion-blind¿ and `belief-blind¿ approaches without these being significantly challenged by agency policies or by professional cultures.

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Research has repeatedly demonstrated that maltreatment increases the likelihood of criminality when compared to a non-maltreated population. What remains unclear is how maltreatment directly or indirectly affects criminality. This study was conducted to delineate any existing relationships between age of onset, type, severity and chronicity of maltreatment and age of onset, type, severity and chronicity of criminality in a Canadian context. The possible impacts of gender, parental capacity impairments, and reduced child functioning were taken into account when examining this relationship. In addition, the characteristics of these children were examined to see if there were major differences within this group. This retrospective study examined the complete official youth protection and young offender dossiers of 87 subjects, involved with Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, who were maltreated and criminal during the period April 1, 2002 to March 31, 2003. A survey instrument was designed to collect quantifiable data on each child. Findings indicate that maltreated and criminal children are characterized as an extremely high needs population. Within this group, children who came to the attention of DYP in infancy had the highest likelihood of parental and personal functioning issues throughout their lifespan and committed their first official crime at the earliest age. Multiple regressions indicated that parent risk score and age of first known DYP involvement were significant predictors of criminality. These results confirm the important role parents play in determining their child’s life outcomes, and suggest that parenting capacities should be fully evaluated, treatment plans should be comprehensive in nature and based on cognitive abilities of both parent and child, and focus should be placed on permanency planning. / La recherche a à plusieurs reprises, démontré que le mauvais traitement augmente la probabilité de la criminalité une fois comparé à une population non-maltraitée. Ce qui reste peu clair est comment le mauvais traitement affecte directement ou indirectement la criminalité. Cette étude a été entreprise pour tracer les rapports existants entre l’âge du début, le type, la sévérité et la chronicité de mauvais traitement avec l’âge du début, du type, de la sévérité et de la chronicité de criminalité dans un contexte canadien. L’impact possible du genre, des affaiblissements parentaux, et le fonctionnement réduit d’enfant ont été pris en considération en examinant ce rapport. En outre, les charactéristiques de ces enfants ont été examinées pour voir si elles différaient de quelque façon les uns des autres. Cette étude rétrospective a examiné la protection officielle complète de lajeunesse et les jeunes dossiers de contrevenant de 87 sujets, impliqués avec Batshaw Youth and Family Centres, qui ont été maltraités et criminels pendant la période du 1 avril, 2002 au 31mars 31, 2003. Un instrument d’aperçu a été conçu afin de rassembler des données quantifiables sur chaque enfant. Les résultats indiquent que maltraité et des enfants criminels sont caractérisés, en tant que population extrêmement haute des besoins. Chez ce groupe, les enfants qui sont venus à l’attention de DYP dans la petite enfance ont eu une probabilité plus élevée des issues de fonctionnement parentales et personnelles tout au long de leur durée de vie et ont commis leur premier crime officiel à un âge plus jeune. Les régressions multiples ont indiqué que des points de risque de parent et l’âge de la première participation connue de DYP étaient les prédiseurs significatifs de la criminalité. Ces résultats confinnent les conséquences du comportement parentale sur la vie de leur enfant et suggèrent que les capacités paren

Dissertation (Ph. D.)--University of Akron, Dept. of Public Administration and Urban Studies, 2007. / "December, 2007." Title from electronic dissertation title page (viewed 03/19/2008) Advisor, Sonia Alemagno; Co-Advisor, Margaret Tonkin; Committee members, Margaret Tonkin, Peter Leahy, Dena Hanley, William Bowen; Department Chair, Sonia Alemagno; Dean of the College, Ronald F. Levant; Dean of the Graduate School, George R. Newkome. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, Aug., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 2003. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.