child maltreatment 2

When was child sexual abuse recognized as a distinct form of child maltreatment

1970’s

Sandra butlers book “Conspiracy of Silence”

Collected testimonies from survivors of SA bringing CSA to the attention of: clinicians, researchers, the public

When did the growth of research of CSA occur

After 1970s

David Finkelhors research regarding CSA

Defined sexual abuse and explained why adult-child sexual relationships are illegal

What did David Finkelhor argue in terms of consent

Children lack 2 things that they lack: knowledge and authority/autonomy

Knowledge in terms of sexual relations

Sexual meaning, consequences of sexual behavior, relational outcomes

Authority/autonomy in terms of sexual relations

Legal authority, psychological autonomy, developmental maturity

What is the child protection movement

Framework views CSA as one of the 3 forms of child maltreatment: sexual abuse, neglect, physical abuse

What is the intervention approach in the Child Protection movement

Trauma-informed therapy

Improving family communication

Redefining boundaries

Family reunification when safe

Overall goal is to repair family system

What are some requirements for family reunification

Perpetrator must accept responsibility

Non offending caregiver must protect child

Feminist perspective interepretation of CSA

CSA is a societal problem rooted in patriarchy

What are some cultural influences of CSA

Sexualized media portrayals of children

Pornography

Normalization of exploitation

What’s a child molester

Someone who sexually abuses a child

What is a pedophile

Someone with sexual attraction to prepubescent children but doesn’t act on that attraction

Are most molesters pedophiles

No most molesters aren’t attracted to children they molest due to power, stress, etc.

How is pedophilia defined in the DSM

Paraphillia

Parahilas

Atypical sexual interests

Issues defining CSA

Multiple professional definitions, sexual behaviour exists on a continuum, context matters

Textbook def of CSA

Any sexual activity with a child consent cannot or is not given

Textbook def of CSA includes what

Forced acts, manipulation, abuse by older children

What’s wrong with broad definitions of sexual abuse

Higher prevalence estimates, wide severity range, difficulty predicting outcomes

Age of consent in Canada

16

Allowed age gap for 12-13 years old

2 years

Age gap allowed for ages 14-15

5 years

What is the estimated rate of male CSA offenders

95-98%, females perpetrators may be underrepresented

What are some characteristics of offenders

Low self esteem, poor social skills, difficulty forming adult relationships, low empathy, cognitive distortions

What are some cog distortions

Blaming victim, minimizing harm, denying responsibility

What are some characteristics of fixated offenders according to Nicholas Groth

Primary sexual interests in children

Compulsive behaviours

Emotionally immature

Limited adult relationships

Some characteristic’s of regressed offenders according to Nicholas Groth

Normally attracted to adults

Offend during stress

Opportunistic abuse

Episodic behaviour

Modern research suggest what about sexual offending

It’s a result of interactions of: biological, psychological, social factors and environmental triggers

What percentage of family members to be offenders of sexual abuse

30%

What is the percentage of acquaintences/trusted adults to be offenders of sexual abuse

60%

What’s the percentage of strangers to be offenders of sexual abuse

10-18%

What age is the highest risk of SA

7-13, boys may abused earlier 4-6 yrs old

Intrafamilal abuse

Abuse that occurs within the family, historically hidden due to the belief that family matters stays private

What are the 5 stages of sexual abuse accommodation syndrome according to Summit

Secrecy, helplessness, accommodation, delayed disclosure, retraction

Why might children retract allegations

Fear, guilt, family pressure

What is extrafamilial sexual abuse

Abuse by non-family members (eg. Teachers, coaches)

What are some reasons behind why CSAM is replacing child pornography

Pornography implies consent and children cannot consent

What is grooming

This is the process used by offenders to prepare victims

What’s the prevalence of CSA during childhood

Women- 20%

Men- 8%

What is child neglect

An act of omission, where a caregiver fails to provide the minimum acceptable level of care required for a child’s health, safety and development

Difference between minimum and ideal care

Neglect is the failure to meet minimum acceptable care standards not the failure to provide ideal or optimal care

Maltreatment umbrella

Physical injury, mental injury, sexual abuse exploitation, negligent treatment, other maltreatment by the caregiver

In regard to most states, they all agree that neglect involves failure to meet needs for

Food, clothing, shelter, protection, and medical care

What do states differ on regarding to neglect

Ability versus unwillingness

Poverty exclusions

Parental substance exposure

Unique statues (eg. Leaving child in car.)

What does Wisconsin exclude from neglect

Poverty

What does Arizona include regarding neglect

Inability or unwillingness

What does Nevada require in regards to neglect

Caregivers to be able to provide

why does poverty not equal neglect?

Poverty increase increases stress and risk, but poverty alone does not equal neglect

Fetal neglect USA

Some states include parental substance exposure in neglect statues. Newborn may be considered neglected if toxicology is postive, show withdrawal symptoms, evidence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder

Physical neglect

food, shelter, clothing protection from hazards and adequate supervision (can include malnutrition, severe obesity, environmental hazards)

Supervisory neglect

Failure to provide developmentally appropriate supervision (infant being left near a pool unattended, accessible firearms, accessible drugs)

Medical neglect

Failure to seek medical treatment, follow prescribed treatment, address mental health needs

Medical neglect depends on

Seriousness, immediacy, access to care

Emotional neglect

Failure to provide affection, emotional support, stimulation, and protection from chronic domestic violence

Educational neglect

Failure to enrol child in school, address truancy, address, special education needs

What are some rare causes of childhood obesity?

Genetic or endocrine disorders

what are some general causes of childhood obesity?

Excessive caloric intake, sedentary behaviour, environmental influences, food availability, socioeconomic factors

How does neglect affect the brain?

Under stimulates the brain development

What does chronic neglect Activate in the stress system?

HPA axis, elevated cortisol

What are the effects of the activation in stress system?

Reduce synapse growth, altered neural connectivity, impaired executive function, emotional regulation difficulties

What are some structural findings regarding neglected children’s brains?

Reduced cerebral white matter volume, slower, information processing, amygdala alterations, executive function deficits

What was emotional abuse once linked to

Neglect

Psychological maltreatment is considered

Ambiguous form of maltreatment

Why might psychological maltreatment revive less attention than the others

The difficulty of defining it

Emotional abuse def

A PATTERN of behaviors that attacks a child’s emotional development and sense of self, esteem etc. (not isolated event, tends to happen in patterns)

Psychological abuse textbook

Can be acts of omission or commission that result in the absence of a nurturing environment for the child (one of the most difficult types of abuse to isolate)

Emotional neglect def

Failing to meet the emotional needs of a child (inadequate nurture and affection, refusal to provide adequate care, knowingly allowing maladaptive behaviour like drugs abuse)

Emotional abuse

Engaging in non physical acts that directly harm the child (verbal, emotional assult, threats, confinement etc)

Spruning

Being hostile to a child (belittling them etc)

Denying emotional responsiveness

Ignoring child and showing no emotional reaction when interacting with child

Isolating

Isolating child from normal social experiences like making friends (making child feel alone in the world)

Terrorizing

Verbally assaulting child and creating a climate of fear (bullying child making them belive that the world is hostile and unsafe)

Ignoring

Blocks child’s emotional stimulation

Can siblings and parents be emotionally abusive

Yes

Mental health, medical, and educational neglect

Ignoring child’s need regarding these things

Exploiting/corrupting

Encourages child to develop inappropriate behaviours and reinforcing their deviance making child unfit for social experiences (impacts child’s cog development)

Verbally assaulting

Repeated name calling, trying to deflate their self esteem and belittling them

Alienating the other parent

Signals child it’s not acceptable to have a loving relationship with other parent or isolating them from them. Parent is weaponizing child towards other parent

Over pressuring

Places extreme/undue pressure to a child to preform/achieve in ways beyond their capabilities

(Clinical) If physical abuse was present, psychological maltreatment was present

91% of times

(Clinical) if psychological maltreatment was present, physical abuse was present

45% of times

(Community) if physical abuse was present psychological maltreatment was present

93% of times

(Community) if psychological maltreatment was present, physical abuse was present

18% of times

Emotional abuse and neglect often occur alone but when they co occur it’s with

Physical abuse and neglect (abuse with abuse and neglect with neglect)

Parental factors of emotional abuse

History of child maltreatment, intimate partner violence (IPV) in family, seperation, history of substance abuse,

What was found in the study about people in South Asia and suharan Africa

They use more psychological and physical, aggressive practises in early childhood

Pitner study

Found genetic pathways, played a role in emotional abuse perpetration but not physical or emotional neglect as they were more influenced by common environments

According to pitner study which gender is more abusive

Females

Risk factor factors of emotional abuse

Developmental stage, internalizing/externalizing problems, disability

What percent of investigations primary concerns were emotional maltreatment and how much were sustained

7% and 48%

What accounted for the largest proportions of sustained emotional amount treatment

Verbal abuse/belittling, exposure to non-partner or physical violence

Maslows theory

need to have psychological needs met before you can achieve full potential

Maslow theory 1

Physiological needs (breathing food, water, shelter, sleep, etc.)

Maslow 2

Safety and security (health, employment, property, social ability, etc.)

Maslow 3

Love and belonging

Maslow 4

Self esteem

Maslow 5

Self actualixation

Erikson infancy

Trust vs mistrust