Amanda L Robertson, Danielle A Harris, Susanne Karstedt
{"title":"Giving Women the Benefit of the Doubt? Examining Gender Differences in Schools' Management of Sexual Allegations Against Employees.","authors":"Amanda L Robertson, Danielle A Harris, Susanne Karstedt","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2385469","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2385469","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Comparing women's and men's sexual offending patterns in educational settings is a relatively recent empirical endeavor. Accordingly, gender-based examinations of schools' management of sexual allegations are lacking. We address this gap by drawing on a unique administrative dataset from an Australian jurisdiction that captures alleged improper sexual conduct by educational employees. We compare 809 female- and male-perpetrated cases reported between 2015 and 2019 with respect to event, location, victim, and perpetrator characteristics, as well as the ensuing risk management strategies and sanctions. Compared to men, reported women were younger, employed on more secure employment arrangements, and less often had a relevant discipline history. Most alleged event characteristics did not significantly differ based on perpetrator gender. Women's alleged perpetration, however, more often occurred in places external to school and involved more serious sexual victimization of comparatively older male students. After controlling for event, victim, perpetrator, and allegation characteristics there was nearly no support for a gender bias in institutional responses. However, a lack of any action was more often observed in female-perpetrated cases under very specific and limited conditions. Resultant implications for the management and oversight of employee-related allegations are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"565-588"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141793776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Cardinal Principles to Consider: The Rationale for Implementing Therapeutic Jurisprudence with Youth Manifesting Sexually Abusive Behaviors.","authors":"L C Miccio-Fonseca","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2414989","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2414989","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article brings attention to cardinal principles to consider when implementing the <i>Therapeutic Jurisprudence</i> multidisciplinary approach with youth who are manifesting sustained coarse sexual improprieties and come to the attention of the judicial system. The obstacles of implementing therapeutic jurisprudence with this population include the persistent reliance of researchers on adult paradigms for risk assessment tools, along with treatment models that are not developmentally and gender sensitive, nor empirically supported for youth. Adherence to the scientific method is essential when constructing risk assessment tools that meet forensic standards. Applying the rich collateral paradigm of therapeutic jurisprudence within the context of valid and reliable measurements of intervention outcomes would immensely benefit those youth entangled with judicial systems who repeatedly are victims of abuse (neglect, maltreatment, physical and/or sexual). Youth who become entangled with the judicial system as dependents, and/or suspected or charged with criminal activity, need additional collateral resources geared toward ongoing developmental needs and specific to gender. Practical considerations and recommendations are made in contemplating expanding Therapeutic Jurisprudence with youth who engage in sustained sexually harmful behaviors to self and others.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"627-650"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142606753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rebekah L Chapman, Kathleen S Ebzery, Carol A Ronken, Deirdre Thompson
{"title":"Problem Sexual Behavior and Engagement in Therapeutic Intervention among Children Aged 4-12.","authors":"Rebekah L Chapman, Kathleen S Ebzery, Carol A Ronken, Deirdre Thompson","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2406261","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2406261","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Early intervention in problem sexual behavior (PSB) is critical; however, little is known about the engagement of children and families in therapeutic intervention for PSB. This research explored the characteristics, presenting issues, and engagement of 242 children aged 4-12 years attending a therapeutic service for PSB. Most frequently, PSB occurred within sibling relationships. Girls were more likely to engage in PSB alone (self-directed or non-targeted behaviors), while boys were more likely to involve other young people (interpersonal PSB). One-third (35%) of clients engaged in completion of therapy. Parental noninvolvement and self-directed or non-targeted PSB predicted early disengagement. Client demographics, sexual abuse, and interpersonal sexual behaviors were not associated with therapy completion. Implications for therapeutic intervention in children's PSB are discussed.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"671-690"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142298682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Maria E Torres, Alejandro Leguízamo, George Leibowitz
{"title":"An Exploration of Racial Differences Among Male Youth Adjudicated for Sexual Offenses.","authors":"Maria E Torres, Alejandro Leguízamo, George Leibowitz","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2381458","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2381458","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In 2019, the male adjudicated youth (AY) population in correctional facilities was 33% White and 67% minority. Yet, the distribution among male AY charged with sexual offenses (AYSOs) was 55% White and 45% minority, highlighting the lack of disproportionate minority contact within the AYSO population. Little research on AYSOs has focused explicitly on exploring racial differences within this population. Using secondary data from 720 AY 11-18 years of age, the goal of this exploratory study was to identify differences in length of detention, presence of clinical syndromes, attachment patterns, and childhood trauma experiences among a sample of AYSOs and AYs by race category. Although few racial differences were identified among AYSOs, study results overwhelmingly highlighted differences between AYSOs and AYs.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"651-670"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141761668","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jessica L McCain, Jeffrey H Herbst, Molly Merrill-Francis, Leigh A Willis, Stephanie Spaid Miedema, Joann Wu Shortt
{"title":"Review of Policies and Practices to Prevent Technology-Facilitated Child Sexual Abuse Within Youth-Serving Organizations in the United States.","authors":"Jessica L McCain, Jeffrey H Herbst, Molly Merrill-Francis, Leigh A Willis, Stephanie Spaid Miedema, Joann Wu Shortt","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2381457","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2381457","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Technology-facilitated child sexual abuse (TF-CSA), or child sexual abuse that occurs online or through electronic communication, is a preventable public health problem that can be addressed within youth-serving organizations (YSOs). This study is a review of a purposive sample of organizational policies and practices designed to prevent TF-CSA collected from 13 national and local YSOs in the United States. Documents were coded to identify practices to prevent TF-CSA related to YSO activities or YSO staff, volunteers, or participants. Qualitative analysis indicated that YSOs included seven common practices to prevent TF-CSA in their documents. These practices included transparent electronic communication between youth and YSO staff; codes of conduct and online behavior agreements related to youth; monitoring the YSO's online presence; parental controls for youth online activity; safety behaviors for online activity for staff, parents, and youth; parent and youth trainings for youth online engagement and prevention of TF-CSA; and practices to address staff policy violations. Most prevention practices documented by YSOs identified in this study are consistent with emerging literature on TF-CSA prevention. Key gaps include protections for youth from groups inequitably burdened by TF-CSA and evaluation of the implementation and effectiveness of practices in preventing TF-CSA across settings and populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"545-564"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11560703/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141724753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Samantha J Goldstein, Nichole M Scaglione, Marni L Kan, Kathryn E L Grimes, Marian E Lane, Jessica K Morgan, Sandra L Martin
{"title":"Accuracy, Acceptability, and Burden of an Integrated Screening Approach to Facilitate the Delivery of Tailored Sexual Assault Prevention in the U.S. Air Force.","authors":"Samantha J Goldstein, Nichole M Scaglione, Marni L Kan, Kathryn E L Grimes, Marian E Lane, Jessica K Morgan, Sandra L Martin","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2364792","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2024.2364792","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper examines accuracy, acceptability, and respondent burden of integrated screening to facilitate tailored sexual assault (SA) prevention program delivery in a basic military training (BMT) environment. Trainees (<i>n</i> = 5,951) received tailored prevention content based on self-reported sex, sexual orientation, prior SA victimization and perpetration, and past-month post-traumatic stress symptoms. Bivariate analyses examined trainee-reported screener accuracy, acceptability, and burden, including differences by tailoring-targeted subgroups (e.g. men/women). Overall accuracy and acceptability were high (>90%) despite significant subgroup variability. Screening time averaged 10.55 (SD = 1.95) minutes; individuals with prior SA took longer. Missingness increased linearly throughout the screener. Integrated screening is an accurate, acceptable way to deploy tailored SA prevention in BMT. Findings inform data-driven screening improvements and novel applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"1-21"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141318609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Noemí Pereda, Josep M Tamarit, Marina Bartolomé-Valenzuela
{"title":"Child Sexual Abuse within the Catholic Church in Spain: A Descriptive Analysis of its Characteristics and Long-Term Impact.","authors":"Noemí Pereda, Josep M Tamarit, Marina Bartolomé-Valenzuela","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2024.2349312","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/10538712.2024.2349312","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church is a serious social issue and a significant public health problem that has caused extensive harm worldwide. In 2022, an independent commission was established in Spain to investigate sexual abuse within the Church. The commission gathered data from 334 victims (82.3% men, 17.7% women), who were predominantly aged between 55 and 74 years old (62.5%). A majority of victims (71.0%) endured sexual abuse involving physical contact, while 21% reported instances of oral, anal, or vaginal penetration. Over half of the victims (57.5%) reported emotional and behavioral issues, as well as functional problems, problems in relationships, sexuality, and cognition, and attributed these difficulties to the abuse. The majority of participants (79.0%) had disclosed the abuse before the study, with the Church taking action in 45.8% of cases. Approximately 8.4% of victims reported the perpetrator was relocated, while 16.2% described institutional efforts to conceal the abuse. In conclusion, victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Spain faced consequences that had a significant impact on their lives, exacerbated by lack of societal recognition and a prevalent dynamic of cover-up and concealment by the Church.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140866734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Trauma-Informed Sentencing: How South Australian Sentencing Judges Use Information About defendants' Child Sexual Abuse Victimization and Subsequent Trauma.","authors":"Katherine J McLachlan","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2219674","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2219674","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article explores how South Australian judges use information about child sexual abuse (CSA) victimization history and its potentially traumatic impact, when sentencing adult defendants. Past research indicates that sentencing outcomes may significantly improve if judicial officers are \"trauma-informed.\" \"Trauma\" is the distressing impact of adversity on an individual's social and emotional well-being. Drawing from a sample of 33 sentencing remarks within which judicial officers have identified defendants with histories of CSA, this article applies a trauma-informed practice framework to explore the degree to which the sentencing of these defendants may be trauma-informed. Finally, the paper discusses potential initiatives to better achieve community safety when sentencing people with trauma from CSA. The findings are highly transferable, given the parallels in the sentencing calculus across countries that have a Westminster system of law.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"485-506"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9533733","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Shannon Lynch, Shelby Weber, Stephanie Kaplan, Elizabeth Craun
{"title":"Childhood and Adult Sexual Violence Exposures as Predictors of PTSD, Dissociation, and Substance Use in Women in Jail.","authors":"Shannon Lynch, Shelby Weber, Stephanie Kaplan, Elizabeth Craun","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2226132","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2226132","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Women involved in the criminal legal system report high rates of interpersonal violence, particularly sexual violence, and mental health problems. Although existing research has linked experiences of interpersonal violence to multiple negative mental health outcomes, few researchers have examined concurrent psychopathology as an outcome of child and adult sexual violence in system-involved women. The purpose of this study was to examine child sexual abuse (CSA) and adult sexual violence, while controlling for other forms of interpersonal violence, as predictors of current symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PSTD), substance use disorder (SUD), and dissociation in women in jail in the Mountain West. Randomly selected participants (<i>N</i> = 146) completed clinician-administered measures of trauma histories and mental health symptoms. The majority of the women (73%) reported experiences of CSA and about half reported experiences of adult sexual violence. Over half of the women reported symptoms consistent with current probable PTSD, about 20% reported dissociation symptoms in a clinical range, and over 70% met criteria for a SUD in the past year. The proposed model was tested with path analysis. CSA significantly predicted current symptoms of PTSD while adult sexual violence exposure predicted symptoms of SUD and dissociation. These results illustrate the high rates of sexual violence exposure as well as the complexity of mental health needs associated with these exposures in system-involved women. Findings highlight the need to comprehensively assess incarcerated women's trauma exposure and psychological distress to better meet the needs of this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"424-440"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9686682","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Adjudicated Adolescents Located on a State Sex Offender Registry Website as Adults: Common Denominators.","authors":"Lucinda A Lee Rasmussen","doi":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2280006","DOIUrl":"10.1080/10538712.2023.2280006","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This is a landmark study, the first to use a listing on a state sex offender registry website as a predictive variable for tracking adult recidivism of male adolescents adjudicated for sex offenses, and the longest to follow a cohort of these youth after discharge from a secure residential treatment program. Upon admission, the sample (<i>N = </i>145) were assessed by <i>JSORRAT-II</i> and <i>MEGA</i><sup><i>♪</i></sup>, two contemporary standardized, validated risk assessment tools for assessing youth who have engaged in sexually abusive behavior. They were then followed once discharged for 17.08 years into adulthood (mean follow-up = 14.0 years, <i>SD = </i>1.71). Recidivism rate was 6.2% (defined as a listing for the subject on the California Megan's Law Sex Offender Registry Website). The study offers a baseline for future studies that use a state sex offender registry website as a predictive variable for recidivism. Shared common denominators of recidivists and non-recidivists were risk level (i.e. most were <i>High Risk</i> or <i>Very High Risk</i> on <i>MEGA</i><sup><i>♪</i></sup>); and having a history of adverse childhood experiences other than sexual abuse (i.e. child neglect/emotional abuse and exposure to domestic violence). A history of sexual abuse, experienced by twice as many non-recidivists as recidivists, differentiated the sample. Recidivists also had fewer protective factors than non-recidivists, as assessed by the <i>MEGA</i><sup><i>♪</i></sup> upon admission to the facility. The mean age of recidivists was younger than non-recidivists, suggesting they may have been removed from their home at an early age, and/or had an early onset of persistent coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviors that persisted into adulthood. The results highlight the importance of integrating trauma-informed interventions in treatment programs for those individuals who are sexually abusive that have a history of multiple adverse childhood experiences.</p>","PeriodicalId":47645,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Child Sexual Abuse","volume":" ","pages":"441-464"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2024-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138291984","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}