NCJ Number
164013
Journal
Children's Legal Rights Journal Volume: 16 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1996) Pages: 23-30
Date Published
1996
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This article describes therapist perceptions of child sexual abuse in a church setting; although the case involved 122 alleged victims, the single individual who was prosecuted was acquitted.
Abstract
The children were studied by clinicians who provided treatment to them. Questionnaires were completed by 13 clinicians who supplied information about 28 children. Eleven children were served by voluntary agency staff, 13 by private practitioners, and four by persons working in public institutions. Clinicians described their contacts with alleged victims and answered questions about each child they had seen. Findings indicated perceptions of clinicians closely involved with children and parents differed markedly from the courtroom disposition and the view of the public at large. Most respondents believed the children had been sexually abused at the church. The most numerous reports of abuse involved fondling (78.5 percent), but the children also reported oral sex and sexual penetration. Although the church official was acquitted of the charge, clinicians reported that more than 80 percent of the children implicated him. Despite threats to prevent disclosure, most children seen by clinicians talked about their abuse. Of particular concern in the study was the impact of sexual abuse and public disbelief on previously traumatized children and their disempowered parents. Implications of the findings for professionals who work with multivictim/multioffender cases are discussed. 15 endnotes and 5 tables