Has This Child Been Sexually Abused? Dilemmas for the Mental Health Professional Who Seeks the Answer

• NCJ Number: 135843
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1992) Pages: 54-73
• Author(s): J R Conte
• Date Published: 1992
• Length: 19 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Technical Assistance)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

Efforts to determine if a child has been sexually abused are increasingly becoming a part of mental health practice, but many aspects of forensic mental health practice to determine if a child has been sexually abused may run counter to traditional clinical training.

Abstract

Forensic practice requires firm conclusions, whereas few situations in mental health practice permit clear "either/or" distinctions. Thus, in many complex cases a complete response to the evaluation goals or purpose may not be possible. In addition, professionals and the community may differ on value issues such as the length of time a young child should not have contact with an incest offender. Moreover, bias in evaluation has not been systematically examined. Nevertheless, mental health professionals who seek to maintain an objective stance can take several steps using White's framework as a useful source. 35 references (Author abstract modified)