Role of Community Mental Health Centers (From Child Pornography and Sex Rings, P 149-161, 1984, Ann W Burgess and Marieanne L Clark, ed. - See NCJ-96305)

• NCJ Number: 96309
• Author(s): P Knuckman
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 13 pages
• Sale Source: Lexington Books
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Community mental health centers can be pivotal in reducing the stress produced by the procedures initiated following the disclosure of child sexual abuse and which tend to compound the original trauma.

Abstract

Community mental health centers have a three-part role in responding to the problems of sexually exploited children and their families. Their social and community intervention efforts aim to sensitize communities to the existence of the problem. In their treatment role, community mental health centers must deal with four issues: the use of the family structure model, the handling of the crisis 'window,' the avoidance of compounding the trauma, and the use of collateral treatment. The family structure model, developed by Salvador Menuchin, views the effects of child sexual victimization as extending beyond the intrapsychic effects on the child victim to include disruption of the family system. Many mental health centers use the family structure model as the theoretical base for dealing with such child sexual abuse as father-daughter incest and child sex rings. The focus in such cases is not only on the victim but on interactions within the family as a whole. The center must also recognize the existence of an initial period, or 'window,' of disruption and respond speedily during this critical period. Community mental health services can also reduce the stress victims experience during contacts with the criminal justice system, so as to avoid compounding the original trauma. Centers must also coordinate services of various community agencies to help address collateral problems of the victims and their families. The final role for community mental health centers is the collection and maintenance of data to aid field research on child sexual victimization. Case histories and psychological test data obtained by the centers can provide data the academic community needs to address the unanswered questions about sexual abuse. Eight endnotes are provided.