Forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tydens ondersoeke na kinder seksuele misbruik benut word, het in n hoë mate mettertyd ontwikkel. Navorsing het n waardevolle bydrae gelewer tot effektiewe en geskikte assesseringstegnieke. Verdere navorsing is egter nodig om die bestaande tegnieke te ondersoek. Die persoon wat by forensiese assesserings betrokke is, kan baat vind by die leiding wat navorsing bied. Op grond hiervan het die navorser ondersoek ingestel na die forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tans in die praktyk deur forensiese maatskaplike werkers benut word. Gedurende die ondersoek is verskeie tegnieke wat tydens forensiese assesseringsonderhoude benut word, geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie is vir die doel van hierdie studie deur die navorser uitgesonder. Hierdie tegniek is aan die hand van n gevallestudie bestudeer en bespreek. Ondersoek is ook ingestel na die menings van maatskaplike werkers wat in die forensiese veld werksaam is, asook dié van justisie–amptenare, onder wie landdroste en staatsaanklaers, wat in die hof vir seksuele misdrywe werksaam is, ten opsigte van die benutting van die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie. Die justisie–amptenare was aanvanklik nie vertroud met die tegniek nie. Nadat literatuur vir bestudering aan hulle beskikbaar gestel is, is vasgestel dat hulle ontvanklik is vir en positief staan teenoor die benutting van die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie. Die ondersoek het ten doel gehad: * Om deur middel van n literatuurstudie die forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tans in die praktyk benut word, te identifiseer en te bespreek; en * Om die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasietegniek aan die hand van n literatuurstudie en empiriese navorsing te evalueer. Samevattend kan gestel word dat die tegnieke, soos in hierdie navorsing bespreek, deel behoort uit te maak van die protokol van die professionele persoon wat die seksueel misbruikte kind assesseer. Hierdie navorsing het bevind dat die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie n waardevolle forensiese assesseringstegniek is ten opsigte van die seksueel misbruikte kind. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The statistics of child sexual abuse is alarmingly high. Even though this is the case, further statistics prove that a great percentage of parents do not ever report the sexual abuse of their child. This study focuses on describing and exploring nonoffending parents' experiences regarding suspicions of or disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse to ultimately formulate a proposed protocol for the empowerment of non–offending parents to report the abuse. This proposed protocol can be used by health professionals to empower parents to report and will contribute to the intervention strategies in forensic investigations. As research methodology, the qualitative approach was utilized to investigate nonoffending parents' experiences regarding suspicions of or disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse and to explore and describe a protocol of guidelines to empower nonoffending parents to report child sexual abuse. The case study method was used as a research strategy to accomplish these aims. Ten interviews and a focus group were conducted during which an interview schedule focussing on the parents' reactions, perceived support, and experiences of reporting was employed. The schedule was presented based on the following themes: Theme 1: Finding out about the sexual abuse Theme 2: Reactions of the parents Theme 3: Support Theme 4: Reporting the child's sexual abuse Theme 5: Parents' experiences of the reporting process Theme 6: Suggestions to make the reporting process easier Subthemes, as elicited by these themes, were explored and described in order to contribute towards the formulation of an appropriate protocol that would empower parents to report child sexual abuse. It became clear that parents experience a vast array of emotions upon finding out or having suspicions of their child's sexual abuse. The parents who participated in this study indicated the need for support on different levels– it was proposed that more support might subsequently increase reporting rates. The parents involved in this study were in agreement that the reporting process is extremely taxing and, based on this, various aspects that could help make the reporting of child sexual abuse easier for parents were explored. Further recommendations to empower parents to report child sexual abuse were also made. The data from the interviews was analyzed and a protocol to empower non–offending parents to report child sexual abuse was formulated. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

Forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tydens ondersoeke na kinder seksuele misbruik benut word, het in n hoë mate mettertyd ontwikkel. Navorsing het n waardevolle bydrae gelewer tot effektiewe en geskikte assesseringstegnieke. Verdere navorsing is egter nodig om die bestaande tegnieke te ondersoek. Die persoon wat by forensiese assesserings betrokke is, kan baat vind by die leiding wat navorsing bied. Op grond hiervan het die navorser ondersoek ingestel na die forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tans in die praktyk deur forensiese maatskaplike werkers benut word. Gedurende die ondersoek is verskeie tegnieke wat tydens forensiese assesseringsonderhoude benut word, geïdentifiseer en bespreek. Die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie is vir die doel van hierdie studie deur die navorser uitgesonder. Hierdie tegniek is aan die hand van n gevallestudie bestudeer en bespreek. Ondersoek is ook ingestel na die menings van maatskaplike werkers wat in die forensiese veld werksaam is, asook dié van justisie–amptenare, onder wie landdroste en staatsaanklaers, wat in die hof vir seksuele misdrywe werksaam is, ten opsigte van die benutting van die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie. Die justisie–amptenare was aanvanklik nie vertroud met die tegniek nie. Nadat literatuur vir bestudering aan hulle beskikbaar gestel is, is vasgestel dat hulle ontvanklik is vir en positief staan teenoor die benutting van die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie. Die ondersoek het ten doel gehad: * Om deur middel van n literatuurstudie die forensiese assesseringstegnieke wat tans in die praktyk benut word, te identifiseer en te bespreek; en * Om die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasietegniek aan die hand van n literatuurstudie en empiriese navorsing te evalueer. Samevattend kan gestel word dat die tegnieke, soos in hierdie navorsing bespreek, deel behoort uit te maak van die protokol van die professionele persoon wat die seksueel misbruikte kind assesseer. Hierdie navorsing het bevind dat die sistematiese aanrakingseksplorasie n waardevolle forensiese assesseringstegniek is ten opsigte van die seksueel misbruikte kind. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

The statistics of child sexual abuse is alarmingly high. Even though this is the case, further statistics prove that a great percentage of parents do not ever report the sexual abuse of their child. This study focuses on describing and exploring nonoffending parents' experiences regarding suspicions of or disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse to ultimately formulate a proposed protocol for the empowerment of non–offending parents to report the abuse. This proposed protocol can be used by health professionals to empower parents to report and will contribute to the intervention strategies in forensic investigations. As research methodology, the qualitative approach was utilized to investigate nonoffending parents' experiences regarding suspicions of or disclosure of their child’s sexual abuse and to explore and describe a protocol of guidelines to empower nonoffending parents to report child sexual abuse. The case study method was used as a research strategy to accomplish these aims. Ten interviews and a focus group were conducted during which an interview schedule focussing on the parents' reactions, perceived support, and experiences of reporting was employed. The schedule was presented based on the following themes: Theme 1: Finding out about the sexual abuse Theme 2: Reactions of the parents Theme 3: Support Theme 4: Reporting the child's sexual abuse Theme 5: Parents' experiences of the reporting process Theme 6: Suggestions to make the reporting process easier Subthemes, as elicited by these themes, were explored and described in order to contribute towards the formulation of an appropriate protocol that would empower parents to report child sexual abuse. It became clear that parents experience a vast array of emotions upon finding out or having suspicions of their child's sexual abuse. The parents who participated in this study indicated the need for support on different levels– it was proposed that more support might subsequently increase reporting rates. The parents involved in this study were in agreement that the reporting process is extremely taxing and, based on this, various aspects that could help make the reporting of child sexual abuse easier for parents were explored. Further recommendations to empower parents to report child sexual abuse were also made. The data from the interviews was analyzed and a protocol to empower non–offending parents to report child sexual abuse was formulated. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012.

South Africa is faced with a high rate of substance use and sexual abuse among both sexes of adolescents from a wide range of social backgrounds. So many cases have been reported in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes in Port St Johns. This article shows that the patterns of alcohol use among South African adolescents is cause for concern. The use of substance by adolescents is associated with a range of negative consequences, including the risk of being sexual abused. Many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances, and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them, so that many of these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse. Some of them become school drop-outs. As a result, the following effects can develop in these adolescents. * Isolation * Self-blame * Embarrassment The aim of the study was to do case analysis in order to identify adolescents who were sexually abused while being intoxicated so that the social workers can construct empowering programmes to prevent the abuse of substances and also the sexual abuse of these adolescents. Data collection took place by means of case analysis of 15 adolescents. Documents of the adolescents from the case loads of social workers in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes were used to gain a detailed picture of the themes emerging from adolescents who were sexually abused after the abuse of substances. The results indicated that many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them while they are under the influence of a substance, and these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

South Africa is faced with a high rate of substance use and sexual abuse among both sexes of adolescents from a wide range of social backgrounds. So many cases have been reported in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes in Port St Johns. This article shows that the patterns of alcohol use among South African adolescents is cause for concern. The use of substance by adolescents is associated with a range of negative consequences, including the risk of being sexual abused. Many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances, and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them, so that many of these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse. Some of them become school drop-outs. As a result, the following effects can develop in these adolescents. * Isolation * Self-blame * Embarrassment The aim of the study was to do case analysis in order to identify adolescents who were sexually abused while being intoxicated so that the social workers can construct empowering programmes to prevent the abuse of substances and also the sexual abuse of these adolescents. Data collection took place by means of case analysis of 15 adolescents. Documents of the adolescents from the case loads of social workers in the Department of Social Development and Special Programmes were used to gain a detailed picture of the themes emerging from adolescents who were sexually abused after the abuse of substances. The results indicated that many adolescents from the areas surrounding Port St Johns use substances and as a result they end up engaging in risky sexual activities. Older people take advantage of them while they are under the influence of a substance, and these adolescents become victims of sexual abuse. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. This thesis consists of five sections: SECTION A: Contains the problem statement, objectives and research methodology, the limitations of the study and definitions of key words. The problem statement was formulated as follows: There is no existing scientifically developed and implemented social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children available in South Africa. This problem statement resulted in the development of four research objectives. The intervention research model was utilised and implemented within a mixed methodology paradigm. Focus group discussions and the single system design generated quantitative and qualitative data. SECTION B: Consists of four articles combined together, form the research report on the achievement of the objectives. The four articles are: Article 1: The implication of sexual abuse for foster care. The aim of this article is to establish the implications of sexual abuse for foster care by means of a literature study. The impact of child sexual abuse depends on various factors like the age of the child, the amount of force used, the relationship between the child and the perpetrator, and the period over which the abuse took place. The impact of sexual abuse on the child also varies depending on the individual child. In order for the foster parent to assist the foster child to heal from the trauma of child sexual abuse, it is necessary for the foster parent to have knowledge of and insight into such impact on the foster child. Article 2: The empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to establish the empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. A focus group discussion was used as a method to collect relevant qualitative data. Five (N=5) foster parents with foster children that have been sexually abused, identified from the caseload of a Child Welfare Society in White River and formed part of the discussion group. From the discussion group two categories, namely feelings, experiences and challenges of foster parents of sexually abused foster children and the needs of foster parents of sexually abused foster children were identified. Ten themes and sub-themes were derived and identified. Article 3: The development and implementation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to develop and implement a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. A nine session programme was developed according to the needs identified in the previous article, and implemented over three days to seven (N=7) foster parents, selected according to a non-probability sampling method. It was presented through psychosocial group work as method. Article 4: The evaluation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article was to evaluate the social work empowerment programme and the effect of the programme on the psychosocial functioning of the foster parents of sexually abused children. A single system design was followed to collect data. Three standardised instruments were utilised during pre- and post-test. A self- developed questionnaire was used to gather qualitative data. SECTION C: Summative findings, conclusions and recommendations and contribution of the study. SECTION D: Addendums. SECTION E: Compound list of references. / Thesis (PhD (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013

Sexual abuse of children is a reality that occurs in communities on a daily basis. In a specific informal settlement in Buffalo City, where the researcher has previously worked as social worker, statistics showed that children in their early childhood are the most vulnerable to sexual abuse. The parents' socio-economic circumstances lead to inadequate protection and security for their minor children, making them vulnerable to sexual abuse. Research shows that each community has specific risk and protection factors in respect of sexual abuse. The aim of this study was to explore and describe through a descriptive, qualitative design the risk factors that contribute to sexual abuse of children in a particular informal settlement in Buffalo City. The research question for the study reads as follows: What are the risk factors that contribute to sexual abuse of children in a particular informal settlement in Buffalo City? Sixteen participants were interviewed by means of semi-structured one-on-one interviews. Purposeful, non-probability sampling was used to select parents or caregivers of children who were sexually abused as well as community leaders in the community to participate in the interviewing. Detailed reflections were ob tained from participants of their perceptions of contributing risk factors that left the children vulnerable. These interviews were conducted with the use of an interview schedule that was compiled in accordance with a literature study and thereafter tested. The methods that were use to capture data were interviewing, observations, reflections and fieldnotes. The interviews were transcribed for the purposes of data analysis and were analysed according to the steps of Creswell (2009). The ecological system perspective has served as the theoretical framework for this study, and five themes were identified in this context. These themes were divided into sub-themes and categories, and were discussed with relevant narratives. The narratives were obtained from the transcripts. Finally, the findings were checked and verified against existing literature. The results can be summarised as follows: i. According to the findings, risk factors that contribute to the preschool child as an individual being vulnerable to sexual abuse is leaving the child alone at home without adequate supervision or the inability of parents or caregivers to provide adequately for the child’s basic needs. ii. Inadequate parenting was identified as a contributing risk factor on micro level. iii. Apathy among neighbours due to the absence of ubuntu was a contributing risk factor on meso level. iv. Inadequate programmes by social service organisations to preschool children were contributing risk factors on the eco systemic level. v. Finally, poverty and inadequate infrastructure were contributing risk factors within the community as macro system. / Thesis (MSW)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Fighting sexual violence against women and children in South Africa is regarded as a priority. The aim of this study is to explore the reasons for the reluctance to disclose sexual abuse by middle childhood children. Some of the factors that were highlighted that cause the reluctance to disclose sexual abuse by middle childhood children were: threats made by the perpetrator, the relationship with the perpetrator, stigmatization and talking about sexual related matters were seen as a taboo. The study reveals that there is lack of parental support especially when the perpetrator is a family member as they want to avoid embarrassment. It was also discovered that it is difficult for those parents who have unresolved issues of sexual abuse to handle their children’s disclosure. The study further shows that people do not understand the justice process especially the bail conditions. They lose faith in the system especially when they see the perpetrator outside and they do not understand that the investigation is still in process. It was discovered that FCS (Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit) and FSW (Forensic Social Work) offices/environment should be better equipped and child friendly to put sexually abused children at ease. It was indicated that parents should supervise their children at all times. Children should be assured that it is not their fault and they do not deserve to be sexually abused. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The aim of this study was to develop, implement and evaluate a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. This thesis consists of five sections: SECTION A: Contains the problem statement, objectives and research methodology, the limitations of the study and definitions of key words. The problem statement was formulated as follows: There is no existing scientifically developed and implemented social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children available in South Africa. This problem statement resulted in the development of four research objectives. The intervention research model was utilised and implemented within a mixed methodology paradigm. Focus group discussions and the single system design generated quantitative and qualitative data. SECTION B: Consists of four articles combined together, form the research report on the achievement of the objectives. The four articles are: Article 1: The implication of sexual abuse for foster care. The aim of this article is to establish the implications of sexual abuse for foster care by means of a literature study. The impact of child sexual abuse depends on various factors like the age of the child, the amount of force used, the relationship between the child and the perpetrator, and the period over which the abuse took place. The impact of sexual abuse on the child also varies depending on the individual child. In order for the foster parent to assist the foster child to heal from the trauma of child sexual abuse, it is necessary for the foster parent to have knowledge of and insight into such impact on the foster child. Article 2: The empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to establish the empowerment needs of foster parents of sexually abused children. A focus group discussion was used as a method to collect relevant qualitative data. Five (N=5) foster parents with foster children that have been sexually abused, identified from the caseload of a Child Welfare Society in White River and formed part of the discussion group. From the discussion group two categories, namely feelings, experiences and challenges of foster parents of sexually abused foster children and the needs of foster parents of sexually abused foster children were identified. Ten themes and sub-themes were derived and identified. Article 3: The development and implementation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article is to develop and implement a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. A nine session programme was developed according to the needs identified in the previous article, and implemented over three days to seven (N=7) foster parents, selected according to a non-probability sampling method. It was presented through psychosocial group work as method. Article 4: The evaluation of a social work empowerment programme for foster parents of sexually abused children. The aim of this article was to evaluate the social work empowerment programme and the effect of the programme on the psychosocial functioning of the foster parents of sexually abused children. A single system design was followed to collect data. Three standardised instruments were utilised during pre- and post-test. A self- developed questionnaire was used to gather qualitative data. SECTION C: Summative findings, conclusions and recommendations and contribution of the study. SECTION D: Addendums. SECTION E: Compound list of references. / Thesis (PhD (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013