Recognising When a Child is at Risk
There are behavioural cues that alert the counsellor to the possibilities of a child being abused; different indicators are associated with the different abuses. »
Child Sexual Abuse
Counselling Dilemma: Risk of Paedophilia
You have been counselling a client in relation to her recent separation and divorce. The client and her husband are currently pursuing custody of their two small children through the courts. Your client is living with her children in their family home, whilst her ex-husband is staying with family friends. The house is going on the market in a few weeks and your client is packing up the family belo... »
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Conclusion & References
In conclusion, it is evidenced from the above discussion that CSA is a complex and perplexing phenomenon. Whilst definition and methodological issues present problems in the research and clinical arenas, most professionals in the field agree that CSA is a highly destructive and problematic experience for the majority of survivors. Lack of clarity surrounding a specific definition, and massive unde... »
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Long-Term Effects
Some research has found that around one-third of children may not show any negative effects of CSA straight away (Kendall-Tackett et al., 1993; Mannarino & Cohen, 1986). This does not necessarily mean, however, that these children are not affected by the abuse, or that they do not experience problems later on. Several interpretations of these “symptom-free” victims have been propos... »
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Gender Issues
Studies concerning gender differences amongst CSA girls and boys have reported somewhat mixed results. Some researchers have concluded that males react in more neutral, or even positive, ways to Child Sexual Abuse compared to girls (Bauserman & Rind, 1997). However many studies have found that children of both genders exhibit a range of negative effects resulting from CSA (Boney-McCoy & Fi... »
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Effects
Research into the effects of CSA has produced varied and often conflicting results. While some investigators have stated that they found CSA victims to be only “slightly less well adjusted than controls” (Rind et al., 1998, p. 22), most researchers agree that the emotional, psychological, and social impact of CSA is often very serious and intense (Webster, 2001). Much of the scientific... »
The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse: Definition
Initial consideration of a definition of CSA may seem straight forward. For example, the anal rape of a three year old elicits highly emotive feelings, and most would not hesitate to label this as CSA. However, the problems with definition appear to lie more in the periphery. Details such as the age of the victim, the age of the perpetrator, the type of contact or non-contact, and the situation/en... »
Series: The Impact of Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse (CSA) has received increasing recognition as an important social issue over the past couple of decades (Webster, 2001). While reports of CSA are certainly increasing, it is unclear as to whether this is due to an actual increase in occurrence, or merely a greater awareness in the community and reporting to the authorities. »
