Understanding the Complexity of Child Sexual Abuse: A Review of the Literature With Implications for Family Counseling

Abstract

Working with families in which there have been incidences of child sexual abuse is one of the most challenging assignments for a family counselor. Beyond ethical and legal mandates for reporting such assaults, less is understood about the long-term effects on victims. After reviewing the literature on child sexual abuse and gender differences, this article critically examines the major approaches to understanding and treating such issues in family counseling. Clinicians are cautioned to examine their own assumptions about the meaning of such experiences for their clients. Implications are discussed for the practice of family counseling.

Atendimento a mães de vítimas de abuso sexual e abusadores: considerações teóricas e práticas

“…Hunter (2006), ao discutir sobre as implicações práticas no trabalho com famílias em que ocorreu o abuso sexual, destacou a necessidade de os terapeutas ajustarem suas abordagens, considerando as características do abuso, da família e, principalmente, a variabilidade do impacto para a vítima.…”

The long-term relational impacts of child sexual abuse by a parent

“…My study will use my own life story as an incest survivor and those of seven other courageous women to shed light on the understudied area of relationship impacts. The rationale for doing the study is that there has been a lot of attention paid to the long-term impacts of CSA as it relates to post-traumatic stress disorder, disclosures of CSA, and health impacts, to name a few, but very little is known about the quality of relationships in a survivor's life (Burstow, 2003;Birrell & Freyd, 2006;Briere & Jordan, 2009;Fairweather & Kinder, 2012;O'Leary, Coohey & Easton, 2010;Van der Kolk, 2005;Haskell, 2003;Courtois & Ford, 2013;Hunter, 2006;Cloitre et al, 2006).…”

“…DiLillo (2001) acknowledges that there is a connection between CSA and "long-term interpersonal" problems but they would like to see more research into the hostile and dysfunctional family systems of origin (p. 571). Likewise, Hunter (2006,) questions the lack of depth used in a lot of research on impacts of CSA, because there are usually other factors or abuses in a child's life that might lead to relationship difficulties (p. 352). Hunter (2006) points out that feminist researchers are concerned that too much focus on family dysfunction might minimize the role that the perpetrator plays in an incestuous family (p. 352).…”

“…Additionally, I will be examining the strength-based feminist perspective, beginning with a history of feminist theories, practice and treatment of CSA. Considering that this qualitative study is examining the relationship impacts of CSA survivors, I will then be using research (Cloitre et al, 2006;DiLillo, 2001;Hunter, 2006) to question and explore the lack of information about the long-term relationship impacts of CSA for women. More specifically, I will be using Freyd's feminist theories on "Betrayal Trauma" and Burstow's feminist research on "relationship wounding" to explore the relational damage that can be incurred from parent-child sexual abuse.…”

“…Although Cloitre et al (2006) offers a specific model for relational healing from CSA, there is acknowledgement by several researchers (Cloitre et al, 2006;Dilillo, 2001;Hunter, 2006: Gold, 2000Haskell, 2009;Smith 2006) that there is a need for a deeper understanding of the relationship impacts in order to offer appropriate treatment. However, many researchers (Briere & Scott, 2013;Siegel, 2010;Burstow, 2003;Brown, 2004;Haskell, 2003;Pearlman & Courtois, 2005) espouse that creating safety and consistency is foundational in the counselling environment.…”