Parental responses to extrafamilial child sexual assault

Parents of a child who has been assaulted by someone external to the family are faced with the difficult task of dealing with their own reactions to the assault while attending to the needs of their children. Common emotional responses that parents express often fall into the following areas: guilt regarding failure as a parent; ambivalent feelings toward the child; ambivalent feelings toward the offender; and concerns about the investigatory and judicial processes. Clinical interventions with families which focus on support and education are suggested. In addition, systems changes, which demystify the court process and support victims, are recommended.