NCJ Number
210028
Journal
Journal of Trauma Practice Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: 2004 Pages: 49-71
Date Published
2004
Length
23 pages
Annotation
This exploratory study examined the impact of mother-daughter incest on survivors' transitions into their own motherhood.
Abstract
Participants were recruited from newspaper advertisements and information on a Web site. Four respondents met the requirements for participation, i.e., having been sexually abused by mother figures and having had their own children. Each participant was interviewed two to three times by the author, with the interviews lasting from 60-90 minutes. The sexual abuse described by the women included fondling, digital penetration, observation of mother's masturbation, oral sex, and in one case, being forced to watch her mother have sex with her brother. Physical and verbal abuse by their mothers was also common. All of the women expressed ambivalence about having children and being mothers. Three of the four women expressed more fear when they imagined that their baby would be a girl. The fear focused on not knowing how to be a good mother and how to distinguish between positive and abusive caregiving. Three participants actively sought to learn about positive mothering through information and experiences with others who could provide constructive guidance and role modeling. All four were in therapy at the time of the interview. One of the women was struggling with sexually abusive impulses toward her daughter. Study limitations and implications for research are discussed. 38 references and appended interview guide