Thesis (M.A.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2009. / Full text also available online. Scroll down for electronic link.

Thesis (Ph. D. (Law))--Rhodes University, 2006.

Thesis (M.S.N.)--Georgia Southern University, 2005. / "A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education." ETD. Includes bibliographical references (p. 65-67) and appendices.

Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2001. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3108292. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-124).

The purpose of this treatise was to synthesize the current research, nationally and internationally, both qualitative and quantitative, concerning online child sexual abuse. The study focused on crimes of a sexual nature perpetrated against children, with or without consent, in an online environment. The aim was to clearly articulate the characteristics of victims, including both their vulnerabilities and their protective factors and to provide offender profiles, including their methodologies. Method: A systematic search for peer reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2006 was conducted. The final sample included 73 articles, which were arranged in order of publication, and the top and bottom interquartile range was selected for review and coding. Results: 36 articles were thematically coded in order to identify the most prominent themes in the articles. The result of this review was a typology of victims and offenders, as well as offender methodologies that reflects an aggregation of the most prominent research on the subject of online child sexual abuse. Conclusion: Much of the common knowledge concerning online child sexual offenders and their victims is incorrect. The typologies identified in this review show a much more diverse picture of both offenders and victims than is held in popular knowledge. This research has identified the damage that misinformation can do, and has highlighted the need for accurate, empirically sound information to be made available to parents, teachers, health care professionals and youth.

D.Litt. et Phil. / The psychological impact of childhood sexual abuse has been widely researched. Despite the numerous negative effects cited in the literature, few studies have focused on the treatment of children within this population group. Furthermore, a minority of research has investigated the efficacy of group therapy and art therapy as a treatment approach with these children, and even fewer studies have focused on the combination of group art therapy. Evident is particularly the lack of control groups consisting of sexually abused children with which to compare results and utilise as an indicator of treatment effect. The most prevalent symptoms found among sexually abused children seem to include depression and anxiety. Although fewer studies have focused on variables such as sexual trauma and self-esteem, these symptoms also seem common. Children between the age of 7 and 13 years seem to experience the most negative consequences associated with sexual abuse, and seem to be particularly susceptible to the development of emotional, behavioural, cognitive, and social difficulties. The purpose of the present study was to design a group art therapy intervention aimed at reducing depression, anxiety, sexual trauma, and low self-esteem, and to evaluate the success rate of the programme using the Solomon four-group design. The Trauma Symptom Checklist for Children and the Human Figure Drawing were used as measures for assessing symptom change both within and between the four groups. A sample of 25 sexually abused girls, aged 8 to 11 years was recruited using a purposive sampling technique. Criteria for selection further involved having the ability to speak English and living with a non-offending caretaker. For practical reasons groups were selected from children’s homes in the Gauteng area. The sample consisted of four groups, namely two experimental groups and two control groups, whereby the experimental groups received the treatment and the control groups did not. The first experimental group and the first control group were assessed prior to and after termination of the therapy. The purpose was to measure the degree of change as a result of the intervention. The control groups were provided with the therapy after the post-test had been administered. Results indicate that the experimental group improved significantly compared to the control groups with regard to anxiety, depression and sexual trauma. Furthermore, in the absence of the intervention the control group demonstrated deterioration between the pre- and post-test. The study indicates a high success rate using the group art therapy intervention. It is anticipated that the value of this study may further enhance the quality of future research on this topic.

The role that child sexual abuse can play in girls’ involvement in prostitution, was explored in this study. Freud’s Psycho Analytical Theory, Hirschi’s Social Learning Theory and Lemert’s Labelling Theory were encompassed to formulate a model. This model is known as The Child Sexual Abuse Counter-Active Model and was designed by researcher as a theoretical framework to direct the research and serve as a basis for the interpretation of findings. This model postulates that the stage of psychosexual development wherein the abused finds herself may influence the effects the abuse has on the victim. These effects may be initial in nature or long term, and may play a contributory role in the victim entering into prostitution. The presence of social bonds namely: attachment, involvement, commitment and belief, expressed by significant others or through institutions, towards the victim, can help prevent the manifestation of negative effects within the abused. This in turn may play a conducive role in the individual withdrawing from prostitution. Once the victim of the child sexual abuse has entered into prostitution, the choice to withdraw may be influenced by the individuals’ reaction to labels bestowed upon them by significant individuals, society or institutions. If the abused responds negatively to the labelling, then an internalisation of these negative concepts may prevail and the prostitute accepts this label and remains within prostitution. However, should the labelling be experienced as positive by the prostitute then the withdrawal from prostitution may become a possibility. Thus, the withdrawal from prostitution as well as the initial entrance into prostitution is determined by the afore-mentioned factors all playing a contributory role through their presence in the sexually abused child’s life. From the interpretation of the data accumulated, it appeared that each respondent subjected to child sexual abuse, irrespective of the psychosexual developmental stage wherein the abuse occurred, exhibited initial as well as long term effects. The absence of significant institutions and individuals in attempting to prevent the entrance into prostitution as well as the role played by labelling could all account for the victims’ choice to enter into and remain within prostitution. These findings made it possible to advance practical recommendations with regard to preventing child sexual abuse. A heightening in awareness of the initial and long term effects child sexual abuse carries as well as the education required within the community could help combat this type of abuse. Professionals, professional institutions, parents and victims could also assist to prevent this crime. In addition the findings furthermore highlight subjects, which pose as possibilities for further victimological research. / Dissertation (MA (Criminology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Social Work and Criminology / Unrestricted

Child sexual abuse in its various guises is a phenomenon that has been part and parcel of society for centuries. It is only in the last few decades, however, that professional and societal interest in this social tragedy has been triggered, and continues to increase. The consequences and impact of child sexual abuse are far-reaching. Not only are individual victims marred by its consequences, but so too does it profoundly affect family systems and societies. As a result of professional interest in this field which has been fuelled by the popular media, the cloak of social secrecy which has covered this previously taboo subject has been shed. Although still hugely under-reported, sometimes even denied and buried by some individuals and societies, it is now widely acknowledged that child sexual abuse is a stark reality. Definitions of this phenomenon abound, with some definitions being more descriptive than others. The grooming process often forms an integral part of child sexual abuse. Through purposefully constructed relationships with their victims, sex offenders make their victims feel responsible for, complicit in and guilty about the abuse. The child is therefore tricked into keeping the abuse a secret. Often the child may not realise that what is happening is in fact abusive. Through grooming the abusive behaviour is normalised and the child may believe that it is part of an affectionate and caring relationship with the offender. The victim often gets lost in the labyrinth of confusion created by a web of deceit, which may result in consensual sexual activities between the child and the sex offender, a fact which is widely acknowledged. Consent is often raised as a defence when sex offenders are charged with and prosecuted for their crimes, more specifically in relation to victims who are over the age of twelve years and more frequently in relation to victims who are sixteen years and older. This consent, however, ought not to be valid for purposes of any sexual activities between such adults and children. Consent is often given as a consequence of the unique dynamics of the grooming process and the imbalance of power and authority. Furthermore, the child’s level of understanding and life experience, as shaped by the grooming process, may also have an important impact on ostensible consent given. South African courts, in accordance with international trends, have apparently started acknowledging the impact of the grooming process on consent given by children in sexual abuse cases. Some courts, as of late, are prepared to more readily reject the defence of consent in such cases. It is noteworthy that this trend has started to develop in South Africa even prior to the commencement of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007. This act defines consent for purposes of the newly created offences, and also stipulates the circumstances in which ostensible consent does not comply with the definition. This definition does not differ materially from the “traditional” approach to consent that was applied prior to the commencement of this act. Furthermore, a number of new offences were created, amongst them the offence of sexual grooming of children. Courts can therefore no longer ignore the existence of the grooming phenomenon and the impact thereof in child sexual abuse cases.

Child sexual abuse is a worldwide phenomenon that takes a major toll in squatter camps in South Africa. The conditions under which the squatters live promote and aggravate the abuse. Sadly, the victims hit hardest by the abuse are the children. The negative effects caused by the abuse lead to problems in the educational tasks of these children. This study proposes that teachers can play a significant role in assisting them to overcome their problem. The aim of this study was to: • investigate the perceptions of teachers of the problem of the sexual abuse of children coming from squatter camps; • empower teachers with strategies that will help to alleviate the problem; and • formulate some recommendations on dealing with the situation in the classroom. The literature was reviewed with the aim of substantiating a compact theoretical basis for the study. Various aspects were discussed, such as • the different definitions of child sexual abuse; • short- and long-term effects of the abuse; and • contributory factors of child sexual abuse. This study followed a qualitative design, which is interpretive, naturalistic, descriptive, holistic and exploratory in nature. The participants, chosen purposefully for this study, were ten teachers, teaching children coming from a squatter camp in the Motherwell Township of Nelson Mandela Bay. Themes that emerged from the transcripts of the interviews were: • Sexual abuse has a negative effect on children and causes them to develop problems. • Teachers can play a significant role in assisting learners who are sexually abused. • There are various reasons why sexual abuse is prevalent in squatter camps. The recommendations made are based on the findings of this study and propose to empower teachers so that they will be able to make a difference in the lives of their abused learners.

Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) is a societal problem whose origins date back to the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It is found in all levels of society, from the wealthiest to the poorest; and the short-term and long-term impacts it has on the lives of the victims, can be devastating. There are many reasons for the occurrence of child sexual abuse, but in all cases, the ultimate accountability rests on the shoulders of the sexual offender. The nature of child sexual victimisation varies from verbal suggestions to violent physical force. Irrespective of which type the child is being subjected to, as the weaker partner in the pedagogical relationship with the adult, s/he is never able to defend herself/himself. The global phenomenon, and the increase in CSA, has given rise to the research question, namely: How does child sexual abuse impact on the school life experiences and academic performance of learners at school? The purpose of this research study was to provide insight into the following issues: • The nature and identification of the symptoms of child sexual abuse; • The manner in which sexually abused children manifest their experiences of sexual abuse at school; • How sexually abused children cope with their learning tasks; and • Recommendations for educators. The literature relating to CSA was reviewed, with the aim of establishing a solid theoretical foundation for the study. CSA has been looked at holistically, encompassing the accepted definitions, the related concepts, the nature of sexual abuse, the prevalence and incidence of CSA, the possible causes, the short-term and long-term impacts, and the suggestions by adult survivors for use by educators in their efforts to help abused learners. 11 In an attempt to provide acceptable answers to the research problem, a mixed- method research design was implemented. The research study was conducted in two phases: Stage 1 consisted of an exploration of the research problem by means of the following question put to the participants: In your experience as an adult survivor of child sexual abuse how did the abuse impact on your school life experiences, including your academic performance? A total of nineteen participants from the Eastern Cape Province shared their experiences, by means of writing their life story as a narrative. Purposive and availability sampling of adult survivors was undertaken. In order to ensure the trustworthiness and authenticity of the research methodology, Guba’s model of data verification was used. Accepted ethical measures were taken into consideration and adhered to during the research. The analysed data were taken directly from the narratives that the individual participants saved onto flashdrives. Consensus by the researcher and coder was reached regarding the identification of themes, categories and subcategories. The following four significant themes emerged, based on the results of the data analysis: Theme One: Health, sexuality and the sexual experiences of sexual abused children and adolescents. Theme Two: The social development of sexually abused children and adolescents. Theme Three: School-related experiences and academic performance of sexually abused children and adolescents. Theme Four: Advice and suggestions from adult survivors for young victims of CSA. 12 Stage 2 offered recommendations to the teachers of learners who are, or have been sexually abused, derived from the findings of Phase 1. The conclusion was reached that CSA does have an impact on the academic performance of learners. Therefore, teachers are in need of a greater understanding and awareness of CSA, in order to help these learners.