NCJ Number
205503
Journal
Child Abuse & Neglect: The International Journal Volume: 25 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2001 Pages: 959-972
Date Published
July 2001
Length
14 pages
Annotation
This study examined the effectiveness of a community practice model in cases of child sexual abuse.
Abstract
Child sexual abuse is a widespread and increasingly prevalent problem. As reports of child sexual abuse continue to grow, the need to find effective interventions also grows. This article presents a case study of a small urban community in Israel that utilized a community practice model to intervene after several cases of child sexual abuse were revealed. Following a review of traditional approaches to child sexual abuse, as well as a review of empowerment and community interventions, the community intervention case study is presented. The community was a small disadvantaged community within a prosperous city in Israel. When three cases of child sexual abuse came to light, two of which were incestuous, the community openly discussed the abuse, contained it, and punished the offenders. This was accomplished through a community practice model, using a systems approach, which engaged community activists and service providers to work together to deal with the problem. A combination of individual, group, and community interventions were utilized as it became apparent that a wider community intervention was necessary to effectively combat child sexual abuse and its deleterious outcomes. The outcome of the community intervention involved the healing of the entire community to allow for the healing of the victims. By engaging the entire community in the fight against child sexual abuse, the continuation of the abuse in the three cases has been checked and there is no evidence to suggest it has become a problem again. Further, the community apathy toward the reports of child sexual abuse demonstrated at the beginning of the intervention was halted and reversed. The involvement of the community as a whole appears to be the main factor in the changing social norms toward child sexual abuse. These findings are consistent with a systems approach which contends that all three subsystems--community members, activists, and service workers--need to undergo changes in order to allow victims to undergo changes. The findings have implications for service workers in terms of the importance given to engaging community residents and activists in the struggle for social change. References