NCJ Number
227007
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 18 Issue: 2 Dated: March-April 2009 Pages: 206-220
Date Published
April 2009
Length
15 pages
Annotation
This paper examined a re-conceptualization of Munchausen by proxy (MBP) cases, proposing to label them recurring sexual abuse allegation cases.
Abstract
Findings suggest that under the model proposed previously, cases involving two unsubstantiated allegations of child sexual abuse, or one that raises red flags in the judgment of the Child Protective Services (CPS) and police investigators, that fit the criteria established for CPS investigation, would be segregated by the agency and labeled recurring sexual abuse allegation (RSA) cases. This label includes MBP cases as defined by the American Protection Society on the Abuse of Children (APSAC) Task Force where appropriate. The RSA categorization is designed to include a spectrum of possibilities concerning the validity of the allegations, the motivations of the mothers, and the diagnoses of mother, father, and child. Defining the set of cases more clearly may help encourage research demonstrating the prevalence, characteristics and potential harm to children, legal reforms, and management and treatment strategies necessary to help the children in the difficult situation of MBP. Data were collected from 35 cases labeled MBP by the CPS professionals. References