Participatory Action Research: Confidentiality and Attitudes of Victimized Young People Unknown to Child Protection Agencies

Abstract

This study explores views of young child abuse survivors, whose abuse was unknown to child protection, about confidentiality. Survivors involved with charity Eighteen And Under (n = 185) were invited to participate. A total of 140 participated. Eight aged 12-20, two males and 6 females chose involvement as researchers and participants and 132 aged 11-30, 25 males, 114 females and one non-gendered chose participant involvement. Eighty-five percent (n = 117) were survivors of child sexual abuse and 15% (n = 23) were survivors of child abuse. Utilizing participatory action research, researchers designed and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data gathered through surveys, interviews, focus groups, online-chats and graffiti walls. A social construction thematic approach analyzed data. Inter-rater reliability was maximized through independent data analysis. The results showed that participants, particularly males and under 16 s, wanted greater protection of confidentiality. Males were less likely to disclose sexual abuse. Two superordinate themes were identified: (a) limited confidentiality led to fear of loss of control and trust and (b) retractions of abuse and higher levels of confidentiality led to talking openly, feeling respected and believed and a sense of control and empowerment. Two further themes were identified from young researcher reports: improved self-esteem and positive life changes. In conclusion, young people unknown to services want greater confidentiality than is currently offered. Participative research was emancipatory, and further participatory research with young CSA survivors is needed. Keywords Confidentiality. Child sexual abuse. Young people. Participatory. Child protection Prevalence rates of child sexual abuse (CSA) vary depending on definitions, populations and methodologies. Incidence figures for CSA range from 0.1 (Morgan and Kena 2018) to 7% (Flatley 2016); compared with prevalence statistics with a range of 11.3

The responsibility of knowledge: Identifying and reporting students with evidence of psychological distress in large-scale school-based studies

“…Young people’s views about the correct position may depend in part on their own characteristics and the issues involved. For example, in a study of young child abuse survivors, 90% of respondents wanted absolute confidentiality and 70% said confidentiality should never be broken (Matthew et al, 2019). Notably, the perspectives of children and young people are rarely heard within this debate.…”

Matters of Significance

“…The action research was explicitly aiming to build advocacy capacity and contribute to transformative social change. Another 'holistic' participatory action research is the study of Matthew et al (2019) about confidentiality concerns in survivors of sexual abuse. In total, 8 of 140 participants volunteered to be co-researchers and after some training in qualitative research they were involved in all parts of the research, including thematic data analysis.…”

“…Except for some discussion about transparency of the thematic coding approach, the challenges for replicability and validity of the research process and results were not addressed. No experts by experience were co-author of the Matthew et al (2019) publication, which might be understandable in a study on confidentiality and disclosure of sexual abuse.…”

The Case for Mandatory Reporting as an Ethical Dilemma for Social Workers

“…Fong (2020) argues that CPS investigations are not a result of "professionals sounding the alarm about children in imminent danger, but from constrained street-level bureaucrats hoping to rehabilitate families in need by shuttling them to a multifaceted surveilling agency" (p. 622). When focused on the moral and obligatory duty to report, mandatory reporters too often miss or ignore the potential consequences of mandatory reporting, including deportation (Bergen & Abji, 2019), parental incarceration (Jensen et al, 2005;Matthew et al, 2019), trauma, and an increased likelihood of future investigations (Fong, 2020).…”