Differences in child sexual abuse cases involving child versus adolescent complainants

While adolescents report the highest rates of sexual abuse victimization, few studies have investigated how child sexual abuse (CSA) cases involving adolescent complainants may differ from cases involving child complainants. The current study draws on 3,430 allegations of CSA in Canada to compare abuse characteristics and judicial outcomes in cases involving adolescent complainants to cases involving child complainants. Adolescent complainants were more likely than child complainants to be abused by a stranger or a person with a community connection to the complainant, while children were more likely than adolescents to be abused by a parent or other relative. Furthermore, compared to child complainants, adolescent complainants were more frequently involved in the most intrusive offenses and their cases were more likely to involve violence. Both groups were most likely to disclose the abuse to a parent, though a greater proportion of children disclosed the abuse to a parent. There were no differences in the delay to disclosure. Accused were equally likely to plead “guilty” and to be convicted in cases involving child and adolescent complainants. However, offenders convicted of the most intrusive offenses received longer probation sentences when the complainant was a child than when the complainant was an adolescent. These findings have implications for ensuring appropriate support and services to adolescent victims of CSA.     

The prevalence of risk factors for general recidivism in female adolescent sexual offenders: A comparison of three subgroups

To our knowledge, there are no former studies in which subgroups of female adolescent sexual offenders are studied. Therefore, we examined differences in risk factors for general recidivism between female adolescents who have committed a felony sexual offense against a younger child (CSO, n = 25), female adolescents who have committed a felony sexual offense with a peer victim (PSO, n = 15) and female adolescents who have committed a misdemeanor sexual offenses (MSO, n = 31). Results showed that CSOs had considerably fewer problems in the domains of school (truancy, behavior problems, dropping out of school), family (e.g., parental alcohol problems, parental mental health problems, poor authority and control, out of home placements and run away from home) and friends (antisocial friends) than MSOs and/or PSOs. No differences were found in the prevalence of mental health problems, physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.     

论以专业为载体的素质教育

本文在论证高等教育本质属性的基础上提出:现代高等教育从本质上讲是专业教育,专业是实施素质教育的基石和载体。素质教育作为一种教育理念,规定了高等教育培养高素质专业人才的目标。素质教育作为一种要求,要体现在高等教育的全过程之中。以专业为载体的素质教育,强调在培养目标的框架下通过课堂内外教育的有机整合来培养高素质专业人才。具体而言,课内以培养学生的专业素质为主,有意识地兼及培养学生的综合素质;而课外则是在专业人才培养目标的规约下培养学生的综合素质。     

A social learning theory comparison of the sexual victimization of adolescent sexual offenders and nonsexual offending male delinquents

OBJECTIVE: This paper tests hypotheses based on Garland and Dougher's (1990) formulation of the "victim to victimizer" relationship which is a social learning theory etiological approach to adolescent sexual offending. METHOD: Two hundred sixteen adolescent sexually victimized sexual offenders and 93 adolescent sexually victimized nonsexual offending delinquents from three Michigan sexual offender treatment facilities participated in an anonymous cross-sectional survey regarding their sexual victimization and offending as well as a social desirability measure. RESULTS: When comparing the two groups, nonsexually offending delinquents and sexually offending delinquents, the latter were found to have: closer relationships with their perpetrators; a higher chance of having a male perpetrator(s); a longer duration of sexual victimization; more forceful sexual victimization; and the experience of penetration as part of their sexual victimization. Logistic regression showed that the gender of the perpetrators being both male and female and the forcefulness of the perpetrators were the best predictors of being in the sexual offender group. CONCLUSIONS: The social learning theory hypotheses were generally supported. Further multivariate research on this theory is warranted.     

Insomnia symptom trajectories among adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse: A longitudinal study

BackgroundChildhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with sleep disturbances in adulthood. However, longitudinal studies have yet to identify among CSA-survivors subgroups distinguished by the trajectory of their insomnia severity, or predictors of subgroup membership.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine longitudinal insomnia symptom trajectories, as well as predictors and correlates of the identified trajectories, over a 4 year study period in a sample of adult, mainly female CSA-survivors.Participants and settingThe sample comprised 533 adult survivors of CSA (94.9% women, mean age 39.2 years, mean age of abuse onset 6.5 years), recruited from support centers for sexual abuse survivors in Norway.MethodsLatent class growth analyses were used to identify insomnia symptom trajectories.ResultsThree distinct trajectories of insomnia symptoms were identified; one characterized by high insomnia symptom scores minimally decreasing over the study period (‘high and decreasing’, 30.6%), one characterized by stable intermediate insomnia symptom scores (‘intermediate and stable’, 41.5%), and one characterized by stable low insomnia symptom scores (‘low and stable’, 27.9%). Predictors of belonging to the high and decreasing trajectory (using the low and stable trajectory as a reference), was lower age of abuse onset (expotentiated coefficient (EC): 0.93, p = 0.026), abuse involving penetration (EC: 2.36, p = 0.005), threats (EC: 3.06, p < 0.001) or physical violence (EC: 3.29 p < 0.001), a higher score on a composite variable comprising multiple other abuse and perpetrator aspects (EC: 2.55, p < 0.001), as well as scoring above a clinical cut-off on a measure of posttraumatic stress symptoms (EC: 12.17, p < 0.001). Those belonging to the high and decreasing trajectory also reported lower levels of perceived social support and higher levels of subjectively experienced relational difficulties compared to those belonging to the two other trajectories.ConclusionsWe conclude that different longitudinal insomnia trajectories exist among adult CSA survivors. The overall results, as well as the significant predictors, are discussed alongside their potential clinical implications.     

Exploring detection of contact vs. fantasy online sexual offenders in chats with minors: Statistical discourse analysis of self-disclosure and emotion words

This exploratory study is the first to identify content differences between youths’ online chats with contact child sex offenders (CCSOs; seek to meet with youths) and those with fantasy child sex offenders (FCSOs; do not meet with youths) using statistical discourse analysis (SDA). Past studies suggest that CCSOs share their experiences and emotions with targeted youths (self-disclosure grooming tactic) and encourage them to reciprocate, to build trust and closer relationships through a cycle of self-disclosures. In this study, we examined 36,029 words in 4,353 messages within 107 anonymized online chat sessions by 21 people, specifically 12 youths and 9 arrested sex offenders (5 CCSOs and 4 FCSOs), using SDA. Results showed that CCSOs were more likely than FCSOs to write online messages with specific words (first person pronouns, negative emotions and positive emotions), suggesting the use of self-disclosure grooming tactics. CCSO’s self-disclosure messages elicited corresponding self-disclosure messages from their targeted youths. These results suggest that CCSOs use grooming tactics that help engender youths’ trust to meet in the physical world, but FCSOs do not.     

“青春期教育”概念的实践价值——基于我国文化背景和社会发展阶段的“性教育”实施策略思考

与“青少年性教育”这一概念被越来越频繁地使用相比较,“青春期教育”概念更具有文化上的融入性,在课程和内容的整合上更具优势,在资源和效果上更具现实性和可行性,从而有利于实现帮助青少年解除青春期困扰、促进青少年健康成长、引导青少年形成健全人格、夯实青少年幸福人生基础的总体目标。     

The impact of body image and Afrocentric appearance on sexual refusal self-efficacy in early adolescent African American girls

Research examining the association between body image and sexual risk-taking has been mostly limited to clinical and/or White female samples. It is unclear whether body image plays a role in sexual risk-taking among African American early adolescent females. Moreover, research has neglected to consider body image within a cultural and ethnic framework. A positive sense of Afrocentric appearance may influence, either positively or negatively, sexual attitudes and behaviors among African American early adolescent girls. The purpose of this study, conducted with 156 urban African American early adolescent females, was to examine the relationships among body image, Afrocentric appearance, and sexual refusal self-efficacy. Results found no significant association between body image and sexual refusal self-efficacy. However, structural equation modeling found that a positive sense of Afrocentric appearance significantly predicted increased sexual refusal self-efficacy. Implications of this study in regard to culturally-based teenage pregnancy prevention and education initiatives are discussed.     

Further victimization of child sexual abuse victims: A latent class typology of re-victimization trajectories

The association between child sexual abuse (CSA) and risk for re-victimization is well-documented; however, less is known about the temporal progression of re-victimization experiences over the early life-course among CSA survivors, and whether this differs from that of those without known sexual abuse histories. This study investigated whether there are distinct temporal pathways of interpersonal re-victimization between the ages of 10–25 years among medically confirmed CSA cases, and considered whether abuse variables, re-victimization variables, and the presence of other adverse outcomes, were associated with heterogeneity in re-victimization pathways. The data were collected as part of a large-scale data-linkage study in which the medical records of 2759 cases of contact-CSA between 1964 and 1995 were linked, between 13 and 44 years following abuse, to police and public psychiatric databases; cases were compared to a matched community sample (n = 2677). Using a subsample of 510 (401 victims; 109 comparisons) individuals with an interpersonal (re)victimization history, we examined the aggregate ‘age-(re)victimization’ curves for CSA victims and comparisons, respectively. Further, we applied longitudinal latent class analysis to explore heterogeneity in re-victimization trajectories among abuse survivors across their early life-course. Four latent pathways were identified, labeled: Normative; Childhood-Limited; Emerging-Adulthood; and Chronic re-victimization trajectories. Older age at abuse, a criminal history, and mental health problems were uniquely predictive of membership to the more problematic and persistent re-victimization trajectories. Findings indicate that individuals exposed to CSA during adolescence may be particularly vulnerable to poorer re-victimization trajectories, characterized by multiple risk indices, and thus may warrant increased service provision.     

Examining the utility of a train-the-trainer model for dissemination of sexual violence prevention in schools

Rates of childhood sexual abuse are unacceptably high, with potentially long-lasting consequences for those who have been victimized. Currently, there are a number of sexual violence prevention programs that have been developed to lower rates of victimization, increase awareness, and connect victims with resources. Within this area of research, there has been less focus on effective methods of program dissemination. For example, school-based sexual violence prevention programs have had positive outcomes; however, little is known about how these programs are disseminated. The train-the-trainer model of dissemination utilizes master trainers to equip others to implement programs, thereby allowing more adults to teach and subsequently more children to receive the program. This study used survey data from teachers and other school personnel (n = 127) to analyze the utility of a train-the-trainer model of dissemination for a sexual violence prevention program in the state of Hawai’i. Through responses of people who were trained to implement the program (59.8% of whom did implement), aspects of the training, the program itself, and factors affecting whether a person implemented the program were explored. Results suggest that time spent in training, job position, and time in that position predicted whether a person trained to implement the sexual violence prevention program followed through with teaching the program to students. Additionally, 54.7% of people who did implement the program had at least one student disclose sexual violence to them, indicating the importance of sexual violence prevention programming and dissemination of these programs.     

PTSD and marital satisfaction in military service members: Examining the simultaneous roles of childhood sexual abuse and combat exposure

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is relatively common and is associated with a multitude of negative outcomes in adulthood, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lower marital satisfaction. However, CSA has been understudied in military samples. The purpose of the present study was to examine the relative contributions of CSA and combat exposure to PTSD and marital satisfaction. Two hundred eighteen National Guard/Reserve veterans who deployed overseas between 2001 and 2008 completed self-report measures of CSA, marital satisfaction, combat exposure, and PTSD symptom severity. Data were analyzed using linear regression and path analysis to evaluate a comprehensive model including all variables. CSA accounted for unique variance in PTSD symptom severity independent of combat exposure. CSA also had a negative direct association with marital satisfaction, independent of combat exposure and PTSD symptom severity. In contrast, combat exposure had only a negative indirect association with marital satisfaction via PTSD when all variables were examined simultaneously. CSA accounted for unique variance in both PTSD symptom severity and marital satisfaction in this sample of combat veterans. Clinically, results suggest that assessment and treatment of CSA is indicated for military veterans suffering from PTSD. Further, treatment of CSA may improve marital satisfaction, which may positively affect psychological functioning in the veteran.     

How Israeli social workers perceive adolescent girls in prostitution

The phenomenon of girls in prostitution poses great challenges to professionals who work with adolescent girls at risk and in distress. Prostitution is socially stigmatized and seen as something shameful. However, current theory and research show adolescent girls in prostitution to be victims of violence, exploitation and trauma. This naturalistic qualitative study examined the views of 15 social workers at six Adolescent Girls Treatment Units in Israel on prostitution and on adolescent girls in prostitution. Data was collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. The participants struggled to link the term “prostitution” with the adolescent girls in their care. The findings explore the source this perceived conflict, and its manifestation in the participants’ professional intervention with the girls. The discussion examines the participants’ professional discourse about adolescent girls in prostitution, and offers explanations for their difficulty in associating the adolescent girls in their care with prostitution.     

Discriminant factors for adolescent sexual offending: On the usefulness of considering both victim age and sibling incest

Understanding the pathways and circumstances of juvenile sexual offending is of utmost importance. However, juvenile sexual offenders (JSO) represent an especially diverse group of individuals, and several categorizations have been proposed to obtain more homogeneous subgroups. Victim age-based and family relation-based categorizations are particularly promising because they seem theoretically and clinically relevant. Empirical results however are still inconsistent, and most studies have not considered these two dimensions jointly. The first goal of this study was to further examine the value of subgrouping JSO according to the age of their victim. A second goal was to determine the supplementary value, if any, of considering sibling incest. Based on a sample of 351 male JSO, it was first confirmed that sexual abuse of children was more strongly related to asociality (social skill deficits) than sexual abuse of peers, the latter being more closely associated with antisociality (general delinquency). The relevance of considering mixed-type JSO (with both child and peer victims) separately was also confirmed. More importantly, multivariate statistical analyses demonstrated that adding sibling incest to the equation was useful. JSO of intra-familial child were significantly more likely to have been victimized during their own childhood compared to JSO with extra-familial victims. Nevertheless, adolescents who had committed sibling incest obtained middle ground results on most variables (except for crime severity), suggesting that they constitute a distinct but not extreme, subgroup. This study confirmed the utility of using both the age and the family relation with the victim in characterizing juvenile sexual offending.     

Examining the relationship between higher educational attainment,trauma symptoms,and internalizing behaviors in child sexual abuse survivors

The trauma symptoms of child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors don’t end with the abuse, or even with the advent of adulthood. Instead, these symptoms can persist into all the realms of a survivor’s life, including education, which sets the foundation for career advancement. This retrospective study of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse (n = 260) examined the relationships between trauma symptoms, dissociation, dissociative amnesia, anxiety, depression, sleep problems and higher education attainment. The purpose of this study was to determine if these factors are associated with higher education completion for childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors. Linear regressions and ANOVAs suggest that many of these variables are significantly associated with survivors’ educational trajectory, and multiple linear regressions show that trauma symptoms (as measured by the Trauma Symptom Checklist-40), caregivers’ education levels, and age at onset of abuse are significant predictors of decreased education levels. This information can provide insight into additional risk and protective factors for CSA survivors in order to enhance acute and long-term management of trauma symptoms to increase levels ofattainment of higher education.     

“性骚扰”的法律界定和防范机制研究

性骚扰的存在是一个不争的事实。然而什么叫“性骚扰” ,怎样从法律技术上对之予以确认 ,并有效地予以制裁与惩罚 ,无论理论上还是实践中都是一个正在困扰着司法工作者、亟待解决的问题。     

A study of Attachment Disorders in young offenders attending specialist services

Attachment disorders, specifically Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED) are disorders associated with neglect and abuse in which people have significant difficulties relating to others. This study aims to explore Attachment Disorder symptoms and diagnoses in young offenders and factors that may be associated with them such as mental health problems. A cross-sectional design was used with 29 young people who were known to Intensive Services, aged 12–17 (M = 16.2, SD = 1.3), 29 carers and 20 teachers. They completed measures investigating symptoms of Attachment Disorders and psychopathology. Eighty-six percent of the young people had experienced some form of maltreatment and the rates of an actual or borderline Attachment Disorder was 52%. A positive correlation between Attachment Disorder symptoms and other mental health problems (as rated by carer-report Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Total Difficulties Score), accounting for 36% of the variance was found, with a large effect size (r_s = 0.60). Attachment Disorder symptoms were associated with hyperactivity and peer relationship problems.     

大学生性知识及性现状调查

大一新生的性知识和性健康教育现状的调查是开展大学生性健康教育工作的基本依据.笔者对某独立学院2006级10个行政班级的440名在校大一新生进行了无记名的问卷调查与统计分析,发现他们存在着性知识缺乏、性知识来源比较单一、获得性方面的知识途径非正规、学生性观念较为开放等一系列问题.针对这些问题,笔者认为,独立学院在对大学生进行素质教育的过程中,必须加强性健康教育,通过各种途径消除他们的性心理障碍,帮助他们树立良好的性道德观,预防各种性病等.     

Violence in families of adolescent runaways

Adolescents who run away from home frequently give many reasons for their behavior, but rarely has an examination of physical maltreatment as a precipitating factor for leaving home been carefully conducted. The Conflict Tactics Scale, a measure of how families resolve conflicts, was completed by 199 adolescents who ran away to a youth shelter. Some 78% of the adolescents self-reported significant physical violence directed toward themselves by a parent in the one year prior to their running away. There were no significant effects of age or sex on the amount of physical violence. A comparison between runaway adolescents and adolescents labeled abused reveals no significant differences in at-risk child abuse scores. An argument is presented for crisis counselors and youth shelter workers to more carefully examine and treat family violence in adolescents who run.     

Using a comprehensive sexuality education framework to analyse the contents of a Brazilian adolescent health handbook

This study set out to analyse the sexuality contents of the Caderneta de Saúde do Adolescente, an adolescent health handbook developed for use in Brazil. Using content analysis, the adequacy of the document was assessed using an approach informed by the International Planned Parenthood Federations comprehensive sexuality education theoretical framework. Findings suggest that six out of the seven categories present within this framework were partially covered, with the handbook providing information on the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy and contraception. Certain key concepts were, however, discussed differently in the male and female versions of the handbook, the handbook does not address gender issues, and has very limited coverage of sexual diversity. The adolescent health handbook was a tool created to help young Brazilians to better understand what it is like to be young person, explaining some of the physical and psychological changes that occurs at this time. However, with respect to sexuality, some changes are appropriate to increase the comprehensiveness of the sexuality education that the resource provides.