NCJ Number
223035
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 17 Issue: 1 Dated: 2008 Pages: 1-12
Editor(s)
Robert Geffner Ph.D.
Date Published
2008
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study reviewed existing literature regarding child sexual abuse and the subsequent contact with an abusing parent.
Abstract
The findings reveal that psychological literature regarding child sex abuse research that addresses contact with the abusing parent actually indicates more harm than benefit occurs to the child; legal literature states that guidelines need to be developed for when contact with the abuser is not appropriate, and research needs to be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of such contact on children. The study demonstrated the overall lack of available psychological literature regarding recommendations on whether a child should continue a relationship with an abusing parent; the available literature recommending that a child continue the paternal relationship cites research on children of divorce, not research on the treatment of child sex abuse victims. Recommendations include: psychologists should be more accurately informed of the actual sex abuse research literature and that knowledge should be integrated with awareness of the symptoms and the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, as well as be willing to make recommendations to the legal community that might not conform to the status quo. This article was written by a mental health practitioner of 25 years and mother who experienced, first-hand, the difficulties of protecting her young daughter from her husband who had sexually abused the daughter. The author describes the various literature currently used for recommendations concerning reunification, while describing her own personal experiences with the process. References