NCJ Number
144998
Editor(s)
J Stubbs
Date Published
1993
Length
0 pages
Annotation
This video examines the incidence, patterns, and responses to child sexual abuse in American Indian communities.
Abstract
The format of the video consists of a hostess who coordinates and conceptually categorizes comments of adult survivors of childhood incest, family members of incest victims, a clinical psychologist, a child protection worker, a victim advocate, law enforcement officials, court personnel, a traditional Indian healer, and a health educator. The narrator notes that child sexual abuse among American Indians occurs at about the same rate as in non- Indian families in America. It is perpetrated primarily by family members or family friends. After defining child sexual abuse and describing specific acts that constitute child sexual molestation, the importance of disclosure is discussed by various professional commentators. A particular problem in addressing child sexual abuse in Indian communities is the tendency of Indian families to hide the abuse and fail to seek help or report the abuse to the authorities. The law requires that all Federal Government employees who work closely with Indian children must report suspicions of child abuse. After receiving a report, child protection workers and the police cooperate in the investigation of the report. Jurisdiction may be under the tribal courts or the Federal courts. Federal courts generally provide more severe punishment for child sexual molesters. The video discusses the difficulty of obtaining evidence in child sexual abuse cases, identifies categories of evidence, lists signs of sexual abuse in children, and provides an overview of the preventive education being given to Indian children in school. A discussion booklet accompanies the video.