Child Sexual Abuse: Impact on Mothers

Abstract

This article explores the broader context in which child sexual abuse occurs and the ethic of blame with respect to mothers of victims. It is based on in-depth interviews with 24 mothers after their children's disclosure, interviews with 15 experts in this area, and an analysis of child welfare case records. It concludes that policy and practice based on familist ideology results in a service delivery system that is insensitive to the needs and rights of women and sexually abused children.During the past decade in North America, there has been an epidemic of disclosures of sexual abuse greater than those documented in any previous period in the history of social work. This increase in reported cases of child sexual abuse is challenging social workers in child protection agencies, police officers, judges, physicians, and others who are involved in intervention. Although the attitudes of professionals and the public toward the child victims and perpetrators have gradually changed, the attitudes toward the mothers of victims have not. Mothers continue to be blamed for the victimization of their children, even though it is now generally known that the sexual

Caregivers’ abuse stigmatization and their views of mental health treatment following child sexual abuse

“…The discovery of CSA can be quite distressing for caregivers (Carter, 1993; Elliot & Carnes, 2001; Everson, 1989; Kelley, 1990; Newberger, Gremy, Waternaux, & Newberger, 1999). Although most studies focus on caregivers’ posttraumatic stress and general distress, abuse-specific stigmatization, including self-blame or guilt for CSA and feelings of shame are also quite common (Fong et al, 2016; Holt et al, 2014; Holt, Cohen & Mannarino, 2015).…”

The Mandatory Reporting of Abuse: Problem Creation Through Problem Solution?

“…For mothers of survivors, however, the distress was measured as greater. Carter (1993) suggested that mothers of survivors often face significant external and internal challenges in the wake of disclosure, particularly related to their role as mother. For example, in cases of sexual abuse, regardless of whether it is perpetrated by a family member or nonfamily member, mothers are often blamed for the abuse because they have failed to protect their daughters from the perpetrator.…”

“…For example, in cases of sexual abuse, regardless of whether it is perpetrated by a family member or nonfamily member, mothers are often blamed for the abuse because they have failed to protect their daughters from the perpetrator. As Carter (1993) pointed out, mothers tend to be the main caregivers of children and in this role they face a number of contradictions and impossible expectations. In Carter's 1993 study of 24 female survivors of childhood sexual abuse, in cases where the father was not the offender, the fathers blamed the child's mother for the abuse.…”

“…For example, Carter (1993) found that female survivors reported experiencing social isolation as a result of the conflicting responses by family and friends to the disclosure of childhood sexual abuse. Specifically, the women felt they lacked emotional support from others to get through the experience.…”

Knowing mothers: from practitioner research to self-help and organisational change

“…As mothers caught up in such traumatic circumstances, Gill, Myrna, Angela and Bev for their parts found out how their experiences fitted with those of other mothers reported in the literature (de Jong, 1988;Hooper, 1992) and saw, from new angles, the workings of child protection systems (Todd & Ellis, 1992;Farmer, 1993) and the training of staff. We have all learnt that innocent women, often blamed in such situations for having known and colluded (Rickford, 1992;Carter, 1993), have to become very knowing about surviving what has been described by Salter (1988, p. 56) as 'an emotional earthquake'. Prom their experiences, Myrna, Angela, Bev and Gill have much to teach social work practitioners and educators about the strengths and weaknesses of professionals' and statutory agencies' ways of working with them and with others like them, and about how to help in healing their children.…”