The social response to child sexual abuse: Examining parents, perpetrators, professionals and media responses as described in survivors' testimonies to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry

Attrash-Najjar, Afnan; Katz, Carmit

doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105955

Cited by 6 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Raising the voices of CSA survivors is an essential mechanism of transitional justice [45], the process by which a society "attempts to come to terms with a legacy of large-scale past abuses" ( [73], p. 4). Advancing and listening to the voices of survivors is crucial in the quest for justice and allows for learning from the past and generating new knowledge and recommendations [45]. Moreover, listening to survivors' voices and allowing their perspectives to inform practice, policy, and research is critical for the effective support and treatment of CSA survivors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The social responses to CSA survivors' disclosures and help-seeking behaviors can play a crucial role in providing effective treatment and support for survivors [45,46]. Positive responses to CSA disclosure include the recipient being supportive and calm to encourage the survivors to feel safe and accepted.…”

Section: Csa Survivors' Perceptions Of Social Responses To Their Help...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Sigad,

Tener,

Lusky-Weisrose

et al. 2024

Behavioral Sciences

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Educational institutions and educators are significant in children’s lives, and they have a crucial role in implementing policies, practices, and sexual education to enhance children’s safety. Such policies and practices should be based on the voices of CSA survivors. This study explored child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors’ viewpoints on their past experiences with educators and the educational system. A qualitative thematic approach was used to analyze 61 written testimonies collected in 2020–2021 by the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA. Two interrelated themes arose: 1) CSA survivors’ retrospective perspectives of educators and the educational system’s responses to signs of their CSA, described as ranging from abusive to life-saving. Specifically, they shared three types of responses: a) harmful and hurtful; b) dismissive and ignoring; and c) accepting and attending. 2) The second theme described the survivors’ messages to educators to promote constructive change. The survivors conveyed expectations that educators should play a central role in CSA prevention, detection, and intervention and, specifically, the need for educators to receive professional training, provide beneficial sexual education, and identify and respond to CSA. The findings promoted moving beyond individual-level interventions to focus on improving educational institutional and organizational cultures related to CSA in both national and international contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Csa Survivors' Perceptions Of Social Responses To Their Help...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

Sigad,

Tener,

Lusky-Weisrose

et al. 2024

Behavioral Sciences

Self Cite

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“…In addition, this study highlights the complex journey that Arab school counselors in Israel, as a minority group, navigate in constructing their professional identities while addressing the culturally taboo subject of CSA. Despite a gradual societal shift towards acknowledging CSA's gravity and the importance of sex education [88,89], integrating these elements into their professional identity poses a substantial cultural challenge. Thus, consistent with prior research among Arab educators in Israel [13,46,50], Arab school counselors strive to strike a balance between acting as agents of social change and adhering to their cultural sensitivities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“Today, I Say It’s Mine!”: Professional Identity Construction among Jewish and Arab School Counselors Coping with CSA Disclosure in Israel

Zinn,

Lusky-Weisrose,

Shaibe

et al. 2024

Behavioral Sciences

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School counselors play a crucial role in preventing, disclosing, and intervening in child sexual abuse cases (CSA) and in maintaining safe and protected school environments. However, research on their experiences coping with CSA remains limited. The purpose of the present study was to describe and analyze the coping experiences of Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors with CSA disclosure, particularly the consequences for their processes of professional identity construction (the ongoing process through which they develop and refine their sense of self in their profession). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 Israeli Jewish and Arab school counselors working in elementary schools (grades 1–6) with significant experience in coping with CSA. Two themes surfaced, reflecting the counselors’ professional identity construction: (1) Counselors’ professional identity transformation following encounters with CSA among their students; (2) Integrating professional knowledge, attitudes, and engagement behaviors into professional identity. The findings describe a trajectory of transformation and professional development among the counselors, beginning with defining and refining their professional roles and followed by the integration of professional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors into their professional routines. Arab counselors also highlighted specific sociocultural challenges within this process, relating to the gap between cultural values and role expectations. Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed.

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“…In addition, CSA studies have emphasized far-reaching consequences of CSA and the crucial role of the societal response. Unfortunately, survivors still often struggle with disbelief from the informal and formal systems in their lives ( Attrash-Najjar & Katz, 2023 ; Katz & Nicolet, 2022 ). These worrisome findings emphasize society’s role in responding to CSA and ensuring children’s rights, including their right to protection and a life without violence.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“One Day It Will Be Over, and You Will See Other Landscapes. . . You Are Not Alone”: Adult Survivors’ Messages to Children Undergoing Child Sexual Abuse

Attrash-Najjar

Tener

Katz

2023

J Interpers Violence

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Child sexual abuse (CSA) has received considerable attention from scholars, contributing to policy, intervention, and prevention efforts worldwide. However, survivors’ involvement in this research is limited. This study was designed to delve into the messages of adult CSA survivors to abused children. In all, 371 written testimonies were provided to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry on CSA by survivors from diverse communities in Israel. The Inquiry aimed to promote change in policies related to CSA. The testimonies were analyzed using the qualitative thematic analysis method. The results revealed five main messages emphasized by survivors to children experiencing CSA: (a) transferring the responsibility and guilt from children to perpetrators and society; (b) turning toward the light and continuing on; (c) disclosure is essential; (d) a happy life is possible; and (e) together we can survive. The discussion emphasizes how various systems in survivors’ lives have profound impacts following the abuse. Although survivors were from diverse backgrounds, their messages to abused children were consistent. Through their messages to the children, the survivors emphasized their wish to transfer responsibility and guilt from children experiencing abuse to the society that is supposed to see, listen, protect, and validate. Implications for practice are discussed, focusing on the importance of making room for survivors’ voices and experiences in the processes of shaping policies in the area of CSA. Moreover, the survivors’ desire to be there for the children emphasized the urgent need to promote the perception of survivors as key stakeholders in the field of child abuse and to integrate their experiences and perceptions into the formal and informal systems for children.

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The social response to child sexual abuse: Examining parents, perpetrators, professionals and media responses as described in survivors' testimonies to the Israeli Independent Public Inquiry

Cited by 6 publications

References 30 publications

“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

“Pay Attention! Pay Attention! Pay Attention!!!”: The Pivotal Role of Educators and the Educational System as Experienced by Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

“Today, I Say It’s Mine!”: Professional Identity Construction among Jewish and Arab School Counselors Coping with CSA Disclosure in Israel

“One Day It Will Be Over, and You Will See Other Landscapes. . . You Are Not Alone”: Adult Survivors’ Messages to Children Undergoing Child Sexual Abuse

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