NCJ Number
155461
Journal
Journal of Child Sexual Abuse Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: (1995) Pages: 95-97
Date Published
1995
Length
3 pages
Annotation
Mitchell and Melikian have explored an area of role confusion that exists among physicians and therapists who deal with abusive families; this role confusion may be greater for certain medical disciplines, such as family medicine, but is present to some extent when interacting with child victims and parent perpetrators in therapeutic settings.
Abstract
The pediatrician is generally taught that his or her role is that of child advocate. This advocacy role is particularly evident in cases of abuse where the child's normal support system involving parents is remiss. The physician who has an ongoing relationship with a family may find it difficult to assume an advocacy role. Reactions of anger and hostility are relatively common among pediatricians toward perpetrators of both physical and sexual abuse. Like the therapist, the physician may need to develop an empathic relationship without reinforcing the offender's denial. The physician should also need deal with his or her own feelings of abuse and should receive adequate training in human sexuality and sexual abuse. The key is for both the physician and the therapist to be aware of their own personal biases and to normalize emotionally uncomfortable feelings when they occur.