Professionals’ Perspectives on Viewing Child Sexual Abuse Images to Improve Response to Victims

Abstract

The complexity of the phenomenon of child sexual abuse images online (CSAIO) benefits from cross‐disciplinary collaboration across law enforcement, child protection, and children's mental health. Through focus groups with professionals working in these fields, this article focuses on when and whether professionals who work with child sexual abuse cases should be exposed to viewing CSAIO and if so under what circumstances doing so would benefit investigations and support services for victims. In a broader sense, this article is about professional experience, decision making, training, and collaboration around a particularly difficult professional experience, namely exposure to viewing CSAIO.

Possible paths to increase detection of child sexual abuse in child and adolescent psychiatry: a meta-synthesis of survivors’ and health professionals’ experiences of addressing child sexual abuse

“… Theme name Engaging in work that stains Unexpected rewards Handling uncertainty—What will happen when you unleash the beast? The need for support and self-care Descriptors Feelings of isolation—others cannot and will not understand Relationship to others changes Unwanted changes in oneself, including emotional, somatic, and trauma-related problems Darker view of the world and other people The feeling of safety is challenged Engagement for work is drained The empowerment in being able to help someone in need The honour of being the one who gets to hear the story Expanding perspectives and gaining wisdom Growing as persons Becoming a better therapist Increasing engagement and activism The fear of making it worse The tension between the wish to be spared and the obligation to see CSA Uncertainty regarding how to get to the real story of what has happened Uncertainty regarding one’s own and other’s reactions/lose control of the story Uncertainty regarding the system’s ability to follow up in a helpful manner Balancing connection with the story and distance to avoid being overwhelmed Needing to feel that one is not on one’s own Self-awareness and to monitor the impact of the work Self-care necessary to counteract the draining character of the work The need for supervision and professional input to keep going The need for realistic workload and definition of tasks for work to be sustainable Articles contributing to the themes Benatar, 2000 Capri et al, 2013 Jensen et al, 2010 Possick et al, 2015 Sivis-Cetinkaya, 2015 Slane et al, 2018 Steed & Downing, 1998 Sui & Padmanabhanunni, 2016 Wheeler & McElvaney, 2018 Benatar, 2000 Capri et al, 2013 Possick et al, 2015 Sivis-Cetinkaya, 2015 Steed & Downing, 1998 Sui & Padmanabhanunni, 2016 Wheeler & McElvaney, 2018 ...…”

“… 9. Slane et al, 2018 Explore different professions’ view of the usefulness and cost of viewing images of CSA as part of their work with survivors 35 Canadian child mental health professionals. No further information provided Canadian child and adolescence mental health care system.…”

“Our Laws Have Not Caught up with the Technology”: Understanding Challenges and Facilitators in Investigating and Prosecuting Child Sexual Abuse Materials in the United States

“…Repeatedly throughout this research, participants highlighted the benefits of multidisciplinary teams, which entails a team of multiple professionals such as law enforcement, prosecutors, child protection workers, and counselors all working together. Multidisciplinary teams have shown to be helpful not just for professionals dealing with CSAM, but also for children and families (Slane et al 2018). Multidisciplinary teams lead to better decision-making and use of resources, as well as a reduction in staff burnout and less trauma for children and families (Slane et al 2018).…”

“…Multidisciplinary teams have shown to be helpful not just for professionals dealing with CSAM, but also for children and families (Slane et al 2018). Multidisciplinary teams lead to better decision-making and use of resources, as well as a reduction in staff burnout and less trauma for children and families (Slane et al 2018). Multidisciplinary teams are also shown to improve coordination of CSAM investigations (Slane et al 2018).…”

“…Multidisciplinary teams lead to better decision-making and use of resources, as well as a reduction in staff burnout and less trauma for children and families (Slane et al 2018). Multidisciplinary teams are also shown to improve coordination of CSAM investigations (Slane et al 2018).…”