M.A. / Sexual abuse of children has been a consistently high profile public issue throughout the late 1980’s and continues to be one. Nest and Woodhouse (1990:3) indicate that child sexual abuse and how to deal with it has become topics of enormous concern a preoccupation for health professionals no less than the media. Recent evidence points to an alarming prevalence of experiences of abuse, especially by young girls who become captive victims in their own homes. The researcher was therefore motivated to conduct this study because the incidents of child sexual abuse have increased dramatically in Soweto. Within the Western culture disclosure of sexual abuse and related interventions is well studied. In our black culture though, sexual abuse is regarded as a taboo, hence it is difficult for victims to report these cases. Even parents of abused children are not open about this problem and this makes it difficult for parents to deal with sexual abuse. The dilemma of non-disclosure causes a need for information about how parents in sexual abuse cases should handle the problem. The study focuses on formulating guidelines to help social workers in dealing with this issue of taboo. In this study the researcher conducted a groupwork with mothers of sexually abuse children in order to set a basis to develop a group intervention programme. Gomes-Schwartz (1990:20) indicates that mothers' responses to the disclosure often influence the relationship with their children. Developing a group intervention programme to address these damaged relationships is relevant to social work practice in South Africa. The aim of this study is to develop a group programme for mothers of victims of sexual abuse and to develop a treatment plan based on the literature survey. This is done by means of a literature survey (general) in the related field of child sexual abuse. The data gained from the literature study were used to develop a group programme and to make conclusions and recommendations in this regard. / Dr. E. Oliphant

MSc (Med) (Paediatric Neurodevelopment), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand / The intersection of two marginalised groups of children, the disabled and the abused, was the focus of this research report. The study examined data from the Teddy Bear Clinic over an eight-year period and detected differences in the prevalence of sexual abuse, physical abuse and neglect of disabled and non-disabled children. The population of disabled-abused were further classified according to age, population group and gender in order to elucidate relationships between variables that might affect prevalence of maltreatment. A summary of the results shows that specific sub-populations of the disabled (the physically, mentally and learning disabled) had prevalence rates peculiar to them. The mentally and physically disabled had increased rates of sexual abuse, whilst the learning disabled had increased prevalence for neglect. Analysis of those children with multiple disabilities revealed no risk for neglect but they were at increased risk for sexual abuse. Disabled children are therefore not a homogeneous group.

Thesis (MPH)--University of Limpopo, 2010. / Background Despite of all the media information and reports about women abuse and non- reporting, there seems to be a high rate of domestic violence, according to reports obtained at Masonwabisane women support centre in Butterworth, Eastern Cape. According to the managing director of the above centre twenty (20) victims report daily at the centre. Probably because of cultural and religious beliefs, violence is not always reported or talked about. It is against this background that the researcher intended to conduct this study. Aims Examination of the characteristics of abused women who visited Masonwabisane Women Support Centre (MWSC) in Butterworth, Eastern Cape. Methodology Data was collected at MWSC in Butterworth an NGO operating under Mnquma local municipality. A descriptive quantitative study was used on records of abused women obtained from Butterworth areas who visited the centre and were reviewed retrospectively using a template developed by the researcher with effect from the 1st of July to 31 December 2007. The records were divided according to the areas served by the organization and the sub-samples randomly selected from each area. The analysis was based on the information that was generated from the questionnaires that women who visited the centre provided. Results The study indicated that the majority of the participants (94 %) were below the age of 40 years. Among the abused women 49 % were single. Almost all the women were living in the rural, informal settlement or township areas. Only ten (4 %) of the cases had no formal education while close to 82 % had at most a secondary school education and the rest 14.3 % had tertiary education. About 24 % of the cases were unemployed and 26.9 % were students. This gives a total of close to 50 % of cases who are economically inactive. The rest of the respondents were either in full time (15.1 %) and in part time (33.9 %) employment. At the time of presentation at the centre, two third (75 %) were traumatized 24 % injured, 13 % confused while 8.6 % were reserved and 2.9 % not well groomed. Over half (55.5 %) of the abuse cases were emotional abused, followed by physical abuse at 31 % while sexual abuse were 7.3 % and economical abuse were 6.1 %. Over a quarter (33, 5%) of women used tobacco, 10, 2% used alcohol and 3,3 % used illicit drug while over half (53,1%) of women did not use any from of substances. At the time of presentation at the centre the following personality traits from abused women were observed, almost half (44 %) of the abused women were angry, 26 % were stubborn and 15% were submissive while 14 % were aggressive. Majority of women (80 %) reported abuse during the week. One tenth (12 %) of women were abused during their pregnancy and 25% during their menstrual period. Because of the abuse almost a quarter (24 %) were physically disabled. Two thirds (66 %) of the women had children between 1 and 4 were abused. Majority (80 %) of women were abused by their husband or partners. Results show that employment and obstetric status were significantly associated (Χ2 = 96.24, p < 0.001). Type of abuse was not dependent on any other variables in the study. Frequency of reporting was associated with type of substance uses (Χ2 = 18.94, p = 0.04) and relationship with perpetrator (Χ2 = 94.78, p < 0.001). Occupation of the perpetrator was related to obstetric status (Χ2 = 193.58, p < 0.001), disability (Χ2 = 34.51, p < 0.001) and no of children the women had (Χ2 = 116.23, p < 0.001). Conclusion The following characteristics were observed from women who visited MWSC women support centre Butterworth, most women between 20-29 years of age were single they were either having steady relationships co-habiting. Most of them were staying in partner’s house or flat. Most of them came from townships and were economically inactive. It was evident from data analysis that most of them had low level of education (82 % secondary education) and they struggle to get employment. Another characteristic was that 66 % of cases were still students and therefore depended on their partners for financial support, which in some cases were elderly men. Most of them presented traumatized at the centre and the common form of abuse experienced was emotional abuse. Most of the abused women were found angry. To some extent others were so abused that they got injuries that led to their physical disability e.g. fractures. Most of them reported abuse at the centre during the weekdays and working hours. This could have an impact on statistics of women abuse as some women are abused by their partners or husbands during the night or weekend, some of them may feel it is no longer necessary to report abuse the following day or following week. Key words: Domestic violence, Characteristics of abused women, patterns of reporting.

No description available.

Abuse of women by male partners is a significant social problem in New Zealand. Ten participating women, whose experiences span more than fifty years, provided interviews focused on their recovery from partner abuse but including the broader context of their lives. Grounded Theory methodology with a feminist perspective was applied in conjunction with Grounded Theory methods. The study identifies GROWING THROUGH ADVERSITY as the basic psychosocial process of recovery from an abusive relationship. GROWING THROUGH ADVERSITY has three inter-related core categories: FINDING A PATH BEYOND ABUSE concerns experiencing abuse and finding safety; GETTING A LIFE is about interactions with the social world; and BECOMING MYSELF involves personal growth and development. In the first of five phases, FALLING FOR LOVE, women commit to the relationship with unexamined, traditional beliefs in gender ideals. When the partner becomes abusive stereotyped meanings of relationship require compliance as the price of 'love', or result in shame and self-blame. In phase two, TAKING CONTROL, coping strategies of resistance and compliance fail. Seeking help for themselves, or the relationship, results in finding other perspectives and new contexts of meaning, prompting participants to overcome personal, social, and safety constraints to separation. Phase three includes the distress and difficulty of SECURING A BASE. In the fourth phase, MAKING SENSE OF IT, participants seek both explanation and meaning for their experience. By the fifth phase, BEING MYSELF, participants have constructed new meaning systems and integrated into wider social contexts. They have become women who live by their own values, without partner abuse. Analysis of participants' experience highlights the changing purpose of help-seeking, The paradox of shame and self blame, and processes of meaning-making and coping are clarified. Victim-blaming is identified as a social sanction that supports abuse. Personal growth processes are conceptualised by integrating several developmental theorists.

The overarching goal of the present research was to identify the interface between research and practice in the area of child-abuse investigation. The specific aims of the research were to explore how abused children present to investigators, to identify the characteristics of the children�s disclosures and the role of disclosure in the investigation, to establish the factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children, and to make comparisons between sexually- and physically-abused children. Three hundred substantiated cases of child abuse (150 sexual-abuse and 150 physical-abuse investigations) investigated by the Department of Child, Youth and Family Services of New Zealand, prior to July 2001, were analysed. Children were most often physically-abused by their biological parents, and mothers were marginally more often the abusers than were fathers. The most common indicators of physical abuse were children�s disclosures and physical injuries. Risk factors for physical abuse included living in two-parent households and being of Maori or Pacific Island ethnicity. Gender or age provided no protection from physical abuse. The families of the physically-abused children were characterised by family violence, substance abuse, neglect, and poor mental health. Adverse family circumstances restrained children from telling others about their physical abuse. Physically-abused children aged more than 7 were found to present with a range of problem behaviours and fears. Child-abuse investigators often tolerated physical assaults on children, particularly by mothers. Moreover, child-abuse investigators did not routinely interview physically-abused children or treat the abuse as a criminal matter, especially if there were complicating family dynamics. Sexually-abused children were usually victimised by unrelated, known males, less often by male relatives, and infrequently by strangers, fathers, or step-fathers. One-third of the sexual abusers were aged less than 17, and over 40% of the young offenders were aged less than 12. As with adult sexual offenders, the child and teenage sexual offenders were predominantly male. Child-abuse investigators usually did not refer the young sexual offenders to the authorities for follow-up. Risk factors for sexual abuse included being female and living with a single parent. Social workers often did not meet with sexually-abused children, but instead usually referred them for a forensic interview. Social workers may not have explored issues related to the sexually-abused children�s behaviour or their families in the manner that they did for the physically-abused children. In both physical- and sexual-abuse cases, social workers were more likely to take action if children had made clear disclosures of abuse. However, despite disclosure being an important factor in decision-making, child-abuse investigators still did not meet with or interview every child, particularly preschool children and physically-abused children. The majority of factors that influenced child-abuse investigators� decisions to interview children were related to practice issues, in sexual-abuse cases, or tolerance of parental violence towards children, in physical-abuse cases. Preschool children, whether physically- or sexually-abused, did not present differently from 5- or 6-year-olds in their behaviour or style of disclosure. However, compared to older children, child-abuse investigators were unlikely to interview preschoolers. To conclude the thesis, I will highlight lessons to be learned from the present study and will make recommendations for child-abuse investigators, any professionals working with children and families, and the government of New Zealand.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 303-326). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center.

Thesis (M.A.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2001. / Bibliography: leaves 107-119.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 216-225). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 224-279). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.