Background: Child sexual abuse is a problem that manifests in all spheres of our society, a social problem that often crosses the desk of a social worker rendering services to children and families. The researcher can still remember how daunting her first experience was when she dealt with an allegation of child sexual abuse. Now, in hindsight she believes that if she had more in-depth knowledge when dealing with children who has been sexually abused and their disclosure thereof, it would have made the world of difference to her and the clients that she was rendering services to. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to investigate the level of knowledge that the social workers of Child Welfare Tshwane currently have when dealing with a disclosure of sexual abuse during the intake interview. The findings will provide guidelines to Child Welfare Tshwane regarding the required level of knowledge of social workers during the intake interview when dealing with a sexual abuse disclosure. Method: The study was conducted through a questionnaire that was composed using information gathered during a literature study. Social workers employed by Child Welfare Tshwane completed the questionnaire in order to shed light on their knowledge base with regard to child sexual abuse and the disclosure thereof. Results: Through the study it was evident that the knowledge base of social workers from Child Welfare Tshwane, dealing with child sexual abuse, is variable and lacks continuity. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

Background: Child sexual abuse is a problem that manifests in all spheres of our society, a social problem that often crosses the desk of a social worker rendering services to children and families. The researcher can still remember how daunting her first experience was when she dealt with an allegation of child sexual abuse. Now, in hindsight she believes that if she had more in-depth knowledge when dealing with children who has been sexually abused and their disclosure thereof, it would have made the world of difference to her and the clients that she was rendering services to. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to investigate the level of knowledge that the social workers of Child Welfare Tshwane currently have when dealing with a disclosure of sexual abuse during the intake interview. The findings will provide guidelines to Child Welfare Tshwane regarding the required level of knowledge of social workers during the intake interview when dealing with a sexual abuse disclosure. Method: The study was conducted through a questionnaire that was composed using information gathered during a literature study. Social workers employed by Child Welfare Tshwane completed the questionnaire in order to shed light on their knowledge base with regard to child sexual abuse and the disclosure thereof. Results: Through the study it was evident that the knowledge base of social workers from Child Welfare Tshwane, dealing with child sexual abuse, is variable and lacks continuity. / MSW (Forensic Practice), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study examines programs and services designed to ameliorate and prevent intimate partner violence (IPV) and sexual violence (SV) among women with a history of child sexual abuse (CSA) under the Violence Against Women Act and the Department of Justice Reauthorization Act, 2005. Fifty-seven (57) survey participants at the 30th National Symposium on Child Abuse Conference were selected for the study utilizing non-probability convenience sampling. The survey participants comprised of workers or volunteers in all aspects of child maltreatment. In sum, 55 (or 100%) of the participants revealed that they agreed that there is a critical need for more program and services designed to ameliorate and prevent IPV, DV and SV among women with a history of CSA.

published_or_final_version / SPACE / Master / Master of Arts

Abstract available in the pdf file.

This thesis examines the therapeutic narratives of sexually abused women. It is based on four in-depth case studies and my experience in counselling hundreds of other women. Two opening chapters outline the methodological and theoretical basis upon which these stories have come to be presented. These accounts unfold through a therapeutic facilitation which has been informed by feminist and narrative therapies, Jungian dream analysis, and a vast array of sexual abuse and related literature. My written translation of these experiences, on the other hand, has been shaped greatly by sociological argument. The foremost of these include feminist standpoint theory, reflexive transformation, and symbolic interaction. The bringing together of these fields serves to create two additional and sometimes conflicting voices - therapist and researcher - which are heard in and around the voices of my clients. The main body of the thesis develops, in storied form, clients' attempts to define and reintegrate themselves following sexual violations in light of a lack of self-authority, fears around voicing their trauma, fragmented memories, disassociation from their own language and symbolism, and a general sense of personal invalidity. In the face of these and other obstacles the therapeutically facilitated accounts bring to the fore unique and creative strategies for integrating these similarly dehumanizing experiences. Each narrative also speaks clearly of the need for a perspective outside of the client which will, in reflecting it back to her, hopefully disarm some of its horror for her and eventually allow it to be integrated by her. In addition, popular therapeutic discourse on sexual abuse has inadvertently served to silence many of my clients by removing them from this experience through a reconstruction of it for them in a theory and language that falls short of capturing its essence. These narrative reconstructions alternatively dispense with those and other descriptions of the client's trauma in favour of internally produced symbols and associations. Just as the sexual abuse narrative needs a discourse into which it can flow in order for it to be heard, it needs also to first be made right at the intra-personal level before it can be widely shared. Within the context of this thesis the therapist has mediated the client's story while the sociologist has sought and amplified its social significance.

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) has been linked to a number of adult psychological maladies. The MMPI-2 has shown specific patterns such as an inverted V in the validity scales, a floating profile, and a 4-5-6 configuration to be present more often in adults who have experienced childhood trauma. Both children and adults who have experienced trauma have shown a number of neurophysiological differences when compared to non-traumatized individuals. However, little research has looked at differences in quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) patterns in these individuals. The purpose of this study is to determine differences seen in the MMPI-2 and the QEEG when comparing adults who report CSA to adults who deny any history of childhood abuse. Differences between the two groups in MMPI-2 basic scales and supplementary scales PK and PS were determined. This study also examined the ability to correctly classify individuals into the two groups using three patterns seen in the MMPI-2 basic scale profiles (inverted V, floating profile, and 4-5-6 configuration). In addition, this research included exploratory analyses to develop predictor models for CSA group membership. Predictors in the models were derived from MMPI-2 scales, alpha relative power at each of the 19 sites in the International 10/20 electrode placement system, as well as alpha/delta, alpha/theta, and alpha/beta ratios at each of the 19 sites. A total of 46 participants were included in this study, 24 from archived files and 22 newly recruited individuals. Each participant received a MMPI-2 and a QEEG. Significant differences were found between the MMPI-2 scores of the two groups, but MMPI-2 patterns were unable to correctly classify individuals. Models were found which were clinically relevant and statistically significant. The models were based on depression and social maladjustment. The depression models included scales F and 2 of the MMPI-2 and alpha relative power at left frontal sites. The social maladjustment models included scales 4 and 8 of the MMPI-2 and alpha relative power at temporal sites. These findings support previous research showing higher levels of pathology in MMPI-2 profiles and evidence for temporal and left-frontal differences in adults who report CSA.

The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate factors associated with childhood sexual abuse which mediate long-term effects. Of particular interest were the mediators of disclosure and its perceived impact, as well as variables related to the severity of the abuse. Also of interest were impact areas related to a history of molestation which have received little attention in the literature. Five hundred and seventy-five female undergraduates completed an extensive questionnaire with measures of family background, childhood and adult sexual experiences, health status, and psychological variables. Of these subjects, 286 reported at least one incident of child sexual abuse. It was hypothesized that those females with histories of sexual abuse who received a positive response to their disclosure of abuse would demonstrate more adaptive adult functioning as compared to those victims receiving a negative response, or those who never disclosed. Significant differences were not detected among the three groups on the outcome measures. A number of reasons were explored for why these differences may not have been detected in the present investigation. Although differences were not detected for disclosure status, significant differences were detected between females reporting a history of child sexual abuse and those reporting no abuse on all of the outcome measures. Specifically, sexual abuse victims were more likely than nonvictims to be sexually revictimized in adulthood. Potential explanations for this finding were explored in a discriminant function analysis predicting revictimization status. Further, abused females had significantly higher levels of depression, dissociation, and perceptual disturbances when compared to their nonabused peers. Sexual abuse victims also reported more health symptoms across various bodily systems and had more negative attributions about their physical health status. Differences between the abused and nonabused groups on levels of perceptual disturbance and perceived physical health status are particularly noteworthy since previous research has detected these symptoms only through clinical samples.

M.A. / The incidence of child abuse in southern Africa is problematic to such an extent that it is described by Machel (as cited in Richter, Dawes & Higson-Smith, 2004. p. ix) as "an assault, a war upon our children". The numbers and estimates surrounding, not only sexual abuse, but also physical abuse seem to be rising exponentially. This leads to the obvious deduction that adult survivors are also rising exponentially, and as such need focus and care, since the aftermath of abuse is far reaching, impacting every sphere of their lives. Destructive behaviour and thought patterns characterise all aspects of their interaction with the self and others, which paints a bleak and painful picture for their futures. To compound the aftermath, very few studies have focused on aspects beyond the aftermath, few have gone on to explain and focus attention on whether healing can take place, and if so, how it can be brought about. This important source of hope for the survivors has been neglected for far too long, leaving the survivors struggling with the question of whether positive change is at all possible? This study aims to address that question and to focus on the experience of the process of healing. The participants were members of a support group for survivors. A qualitative approach was followed with the focus on conceptual analysis. Two open-ended questionnaires were constructed. The first questionnaire was administered pre-intervention and the second questionnaire post-intervention. As a qualitative study, information is included regarding the researcher's experience, and is interpreted from the researcher's perspective. It was found that growth and change is indeed possible. Participants showed more insight into their behaviour and actions and were mostly able to cease destructive behaviours, achieve positive goals set for themselves, or were at least in the process of changing some aspects they felt needed attention. Due to analysis taking place on a group, as well as, individual level, individual differences became very visible. In this study, those aspects participants still found problematic were also highlighted. It is suggested that those aspects be scrutinised in future studies. A reflection on the healing process also occurred and is viewed as a platform for future studies to build on.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) has been linked to a number of adverse effects including hypersexuality (HYP), substance use (SUB), suicidality (SUI), and depression (DEP). Despite a plethora of research on CSA, little is known about how it affects adolescents and the cultural factors that influence their coping styles. This study was founded on social-cultural coping theory and the model of traumagenic dynamics of sexual abuse, suggesting that CSA consequences lead to maladaptive coping mechanisms influenced by sociocultural factors. Using archival data, log-linear analysis was conducted to examine gender differences within racial/ethnic groups in HYP, SUI, DEP, and SUB among adolescent survivors of CSA in a National sample of 13,583 male and female high school students. The purpose of the study was to identify differences in the effects of CSA as manifested by variations of maladaptive coping across racial/ethnic groups and gender. Boys were significantly more likely to use substances, while girls were more likely to experience depressive symptoms and suicidality. Notably, this study did not reveal any significant racial/ethnic differences in adolescent coping. Findings from this study can inform treatment planning and interventions for adolescents who may present with DEP, SUI, SUB, or risky sexual behaviors, but may have underlying trauma from CSA. This study offers positive social change by contributing to the knowledge base about the processes that take place within adolescent CSA survivors, shedding light on cultural nuances among adolescent coping, and informing culturally-competent practice. These findings can ultimately assist in the development of tailored treatment interventions for the prevention of adverse long term effects of adolescent CSA.