NCJ Number
193290
Date Published
2000
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This chapter is designed to take attorneys, mental health professionals, and adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) through the process of sexual-abuse litigation.
Abstract
The chapter first identifies and discusses the following six key areas of the CSA survivor's psychological functioning that pertain to his or her capacity to pursue the litigation: ego strength and defenses, severity of acute symptoms, motivation to pursue litigation, emotional and social support system, cycles of mistrust, and the ability to cope with a negative outcome of the litigation. This is followed by a presentation of guidelines for the attorney to use in assessing his or her own preparedness for the unique demands of CSA litigation. The chapter then explains what CSA survivors and therapists must know about the litigation process, as it explores the dynamics of legal strategy that can exacerbate the client's psychological problems. These include the unpredictability of the process; public exposure of what has been private; the adversarial, empirical nature of the litigation process; defense tactics; and the limited sources of recovery. The final section of the chapter offers tips to enhance professionals' focus on education and communication as means to better serve the CSA client. The chapter advises that the "building of bridges" between the attorney and the mental health professional involved in the case should begin with the client's initial interactions with the attorney and continue through the termination of the relationship between the client and the attorney. 8 notes