Childhood sexual abuse is a serious problem with potential for long term impact on the victims. A history of CSA is associated with psychological distress in adult survivors (Hund & Espelage, 2005). There are risk factors and protective factors that can mediate these effects. One protective factor that has been found to be the best predictor of outcome is adaptive coping, However, there is no known measure with well-established psychometric properties that assesses for adaptive coping behaviors. The Solution Focus Recovery Scale was developed to assess adaptive coping in adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse and sexual assault. The SFRS has some preliminary data to support the reliability and validity of the measure (Kruczek & Vitanza, 1999; Kruczek & Ægisdóttir, 2005). The current study will help to continue to establish the psychometric properties of the SFRS so that it can be used as an outcome measure for future research and in treatment. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

The primary aim of h s research is to evaluate crime and its effect on people from a Reformative perspective. Furthermore to develop a social work support model, according to which co-ordinated services can be provide to all people that are affected by crime in the Northwest Province as an exemplar of a rural community. The thesis consists of three sections. Section A includes in the first place a reference to the actuality of the research. It is namely clear that the level of crime in South Africa, in some instances the highest in the world, requires extensive support for the survivors of these criminal acts. Therefore, the research aim, as given above, lead to four specific objectives. Section A also explains the research methodology. The research was structured according to the Intervention research model within the qualitative research approach. Data was collected by means of a literature study, comparison of the systems of victim support in the Netherlands and South Africa and interviews using a semi-structured interview schedule. Section B consists of the four articles that form the report about the research outcomes. Each article is a report about a particular sub-project of the research and each has, as self-contained units, an own research aim, research method and report Each of these is linked with the central aim, objectives and content of the over-arching research project. The four articles are: In Article 1, 'Crime and its impact on people - a Christian perspective', crime is turned down and it is argued that the survivor of crime should be cared for within the Biblical perspective. Article 2, 'A comparison between the support systems for victims of crime in the Netherlands and South Africa', provided clear guidelines for support systems in developing communities. The formation of a h e support network and the provisioning of compensation to victims are some of these guidelines. In Article 3, 'An investigation into support available to survivors of crime in the North-West Province' it was found that a lack of specialized and professional services is present as well as the lack of co-ordination in the provisioning of the support services. An effective support system of professional services is of the utmost importance and resources, especially h a n d resources, are required to develop an attainable and sustainable support system. The fourth article 'A model for support services available to crime affected people in the North-West Province' contains the model that was developed for support to crime affected people in a rural and deep rural area of our country. The model can be illustrated by a network consisting of four panels, each including particular institutions providing particular services. In Section C a summary of the findings and recommendations of the full research project is provided. Some short-comings, based on specific restraints, are explained and the contribution of the study is provided. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Social Work))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

In 2002, Canada ratified the United Nations Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children. Nearly a decade later, it released its first National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, designated a government-led task force, and approved a budget specifically allocated for human trafficking initiatives and programming. The main objective of this thesis is to determine the kind of approach the Government of Canada has implemented to address the issue of international sex trafficking into Canada, to determine whether anything is exempted or neglected from this approach, and to explore what this could mean for victims of sex trafficking. I use a qualitative narrative analysis of the Canadian government’s publications on the issue of human trafficking including policy, programming, and research-related documents. The findings reveal that Canada has implemented an approach which emphasizes the safety and security of the country which is indicative of a narrative that frames international sex trafficking as a threat. These findings further reveal a negative impact of such framing on trafficking victims. In employing an approach which prioritizes the safety and security of the state, Canada neglects the notion that human trafficking violates a person’s human rights, overlooks a consideration of the root causes of trafficking, and under-prioritizes the notion of ‘victim’ despite the phenomenon continuing to produce new victims each year in Canada.

Violence-exposed children are unintended victims, often an unseen and overlooked victim group in society. It is a societal responsibility that all victims are realized and supported. Through describing the perspective of professionals meeting these children, their status and opportunities in society and legal system can be investigated. To study professionals’ experiences, conceptions, and knowledge about violence-exposed children, a questionnaire was distributed to 63 professionals, representing police, prosecutors, social- and treatment personnel. Qualitative questions about experiences and knowledge were analysed thematically. Additional quantitative statements of held conceptions were analysed with t-tests and regression methods. Findings revealed these children are still overlooked; psychological knowledge about their symptoms, testimonies, and perspective is lacking; professional routines/guidelines are missing; and problems such as children’s legal status as non-victims are hindering effective work to guarantee these children’s care. Results provide information facilitating necessary changes to ensure this group of psychologically abused victims’ recovery and societal rights.

The overall aims of this PhD were to examine what the real effects of injury are on survivors of road crashes and to explore the methods used to assess these effects. Three studies were conducted for this thesis to explore the effects of injury using quality of life outcomes for survivors of road crashes. Study 1 was a prospective follow-up study of 70 road crash survivors with relatively 'minor' injuries. The aim of study 1 was to determine the effects of the crash or injury on quality of life for a 'minor' injury sample over a 1 year follow-up period. Study 2 was a prospective follow-up study of 50 'seriously' injured road crash survivors admitted to hospital as a result of their injuries. Study 3 incorporated the results of study 1 and study 2 to examine the societal burden of injury.

A mail survey was conducted with 49 suicide survivors from 13 different suicide support groups across Canada. Participants were asked about their experiences of grieving a suicide and if the suicide was part of a cluster. Quantitative and qualitative research methodology was used in the coding and analysis of the data. A theory diagram was devised to test four hypotheses. Results of the regression analyses contradicted one hypothesis: showing that an increase in coping mechanisms may heighten levels of grief for a suicide survivor. The number of possible suicide linkages was highly significant with 5 of the 49 participants answering positively when asked if the suicide they were grieving was part of a cluster. Suicide bereavement groups were consistently rated as beneficial or very beneficial by participants. Lastly, content analysis of the open-ended questions showed a common experience of stigma associated with a suicidal death for survivors.

In the past decade there has been growing recognition that a sexual abuse history may manifest during health care examinations. More recently, awareness has been raised about a possible link between a history of sexual abuse and traumatic labour and birth. It is theoretically likely that the intimacy of labour and birth for women with a history of sexual abuse may trigger post-traumatic stress symptomatology. In this cross sectional study, a survey method was used to establish prevalence of sexual abuse and to measure obstetric outcomes, birth experience and birth trauma in a cohort of women who have recently given birth and to test whether there are associations between sexual abuse and birth outcomes. Eighty-five women whose 3½ to 5 year old children attend kindergarten participated. Lifetime sexual abuse was found to be a common experience for study participants. One out of every three women disclosed an experience of sexual abuse in her lifetime. A history of sexual abuse was not associated with adverse labour and birth outcomes; however women with a positive sexual abuse history were more likely to report postnatal depression. A quarter of the women had PTSD symptoms but overall, women had positive birth experiences and felt well supported. Many women are able to overcome traumatic abuse experiences and successfully cope with birth, an event that may potentially replicate the dynamics of sexual abuse. Further research is needed to identify women who may be at high risk for traumatic birth experiences. Undertaking screening for sexual abuse in the antenatal period in a safe environment may provide reassurance for women and enable identification of those women at high risk for abuse related traumatic birth experiences.

Thesis (M.A.)--Georgia Southern University, 2007. / "A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Art." In English, under the direction of Douglass Thompson. ETD. Electronic version approved: December 2007. Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-85)

Thesis (M.D.)--Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Adelaide, 1990. / Typescript (Photocopy). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Psy.D.)--California School of Professional Psychology, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references.