NCJ Number
111829
Journal
Dickinson Law Review Volume: 89 Issue: 3 Dated: (Spring 1985) Pages: 691-719
Date Published
1985
Length
29 pages
Annotation
This article provides a review of the literature on child sexual abuse and discusses the implications of research for prevention and intervention policy.
Abstract
Research has helped dispel a number of myths about the victim and the offender. About 70 percent of abusers are known by their victims, and most sexual assaults occur among family and friends in their own homes. While the offender cannot be classed in one diagnostic category, abusers often are quiet, loners, socially isolated, and have a history of prior abuse, frequently sexual. Some act out of an enduring sexual attraction to children, while others may be motivated by stress or a lack of other sexual outlets. Denial is frequently exhibited both by the offender and by nonparticipating family members in incestuous abuse. Victims often show oversexualized or passive and disassociation behaviors, low self-esteem, fear, and a variety of problem behaviors. Incestuous families often exhibit a variety of dysfunctions, including marital conflict, role confusion, social isolation, and a milieu of abandonment. Among policy implications of these findings are that research should be targeted toward the most treatable offenders. Interventions should include evaluation components, and proven treatments should be implemented as soon as possible. Immediate and long-term measures are needed; working within the family should be encouraged. 29 references.