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Annotated Bibliography

Psychology of the Victim FP6525 A01

March 2, 2016

Professor Mitchel

Running head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

1

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY

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Annotated Bibliography

Part One

Student name: Steven Jones

Date: March 2, 2016

Proposed population for research: Victims of sexual abuse trauma

A. Title: The psychological impacts of sexual abuse and effective intervention measures

B. Reasons for studying the title

I have chosen this topic because in my interactions with sexual abuse victims I have noted that they undergo a lot of psychological trauma which remain undressed in our societies. Sexual abuse is a ubiquitous yet, until not long ago, obviously ignored violation of human rights in several countries. Even though it happens across demographic as well as socio economic environments, many victims do not report such cases to the relevant authorities. Given that victims rarely report sexual abuse, there is no appropriate technique used to ascertain the accurate number of sexual assaults happening each year. This underreporting is not a coincidence because victims are frequently re-victimized during investigation process and the eventual prosecution of their aggressors.

Societal beliefs toward sexual abuse and sexual violence victims also affect reporting of these crimes and the psychological well-being after sexual violence. In spite of legal reforms, increased public awareness about sexual violence and educational initiatives in the past decade, people are still unaware on the initial and long term effects of sexual violence on the victim’s psychological response to such experience. Sexual violence causes physical, reproductive as well as sexual effects, and is significantly associated with adverse long term mental health problems. The requirements of rape victims are often less considered by public health institutions operating in resource challenged settings; and where these services are available, generally they centered on medical- legal services with little attention provided on the psychological effects of sexual abuse. The harmful and long term consequences of sexual violence can be prevented through structured measures as well as the provision of psychological support after sexual abuse. Whereas some victims may recover psychologically, it is important to understand the significance of treating the psychopathology of the survivor. This research will study the psychological impacts of sexual abuse and effective intervention measures

Part Two

Annotated Bibliography

Finkelhor, D. (2009). The prevention of childhood sexual abuse. The future of children19(2), 169-194.

In his article the prevention of childhood sexual abuse, Finkelhor examines two intervention measures: offender management as well as school based educational initiatives that help in preventing childhood sexual abuse. He notes that although offender management programs such as registration of sexual offenders and performing background history have been highly approved, there is little evidence that they assist in preventing sexual violence. He also posits that school based interventions aim to help victims recovery and encourage disclosures; but there is no sufficient evidence that it lowers victimization. The researcher advocates for counseling strategies to both sexual offenders to stop committing another offense and to victims to avoid psychological disorder associated with sexual abuse.

This information is in congruence with the aim of the study, the psychological impacts of sexual abuse and effective intervention measures. It articulates effective intervention methods to both sexual offenders and victims in reducing the prevalence of the act and its associated impacts. This article was obtained from the internet after searching journals on effective intervention methods toward sexual abuse.

Fisher, A., Goodwin, R., & Patton, M. (2009). Men & healing: Theory, Research, and Practice in Working with Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Ottawa, ON: The Men’s Project

Fisher, Goodwin and 2009 observe that for the past generations a lot of research and advocacy work has centered on the consequences of sexual abuse on female victims. They note that despite the fact that people agree that boys as well as men can also become victims of sexual abuse, there is limited information on the psychosocial male victims undergo. Moreover, there is an underdevelopment in clinical interventions for male survivors. Sexual trauma according to the researchers is usually accompanied with denial, shame and silence. It is, therefore, essential for sexual abuse survivors and health professionals to embrace dialogue to ease their recovery.

The purpose of the study is to understand the psychological impacts of sexual abuse and effective intervention measures. The researchers work provides in depth information of trauma boys and men go through when sexually abused and the role of personal therapy as well as partner groups in mitigating consequences of trauma. This was retrieved from the internet after posting the effects of sexual violence against men

Harris, L., Freccero, J., & Crittenden, C. (2011). Sexual Violence: Medical and psycho social support.  https://www.law.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sexual-Violence_- Medical-and-Psychsocial-Support-SV-Working-Paper.pdf

Sexual violence encompasses a wide range of abuses including rape, violent sexual acts, sex trafficking as well as child marriage. Sexual abuse as noted by Harris, Freccero and Crittenden causes physical, reproductive, psychological and sexual harm. The researchers in their study Sexual Violence: Medical and psychosocial support observe that some people deliberately commit sexual abuse as a war weapon and in areas with weak services it may be impossible to render appropriate care because inappropriate health facilities. They further posit that health care providers play important roles by responding to sexual abuse cases thereby preventing sexually transmitted infections and facilitating for the provision of adequate psychological services.

The above article suggests that there are some people who may think that sexual abuse is an appropriate weapon during political instability. This is quite inappropriate as these acts cause a lot of psychological and physical effects among victims. This valuable information was found after searching Sexual violence and psychological support

Meca, J. S., Alcázar, A. I. R., & Soler, C. L. (2011). The psychological treatment of sexual

abuse in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and

Health Psychology11(1), 67-93.

According to Meca, Alcazar and Soler suggest that nearly 20 percent of women and around 5 to 10 percent men have been sexually abused in their lifetime with majority of the cases unreported. The researchers in their study titled the psychological treatment of sexual abuse in children and adolescents note that childhood sexual abuse affects their sexual development, leads to a feeling of betrayal by adults and the aggressor, causes stigmatization due to self-blame and lastly a feeling of being powerless because of the child’s inability to stop the violence. Thus, according to the researcher, the victim would develop physical, behavioral and psychological problems. Meca, Alcazar and Soler note that therapeutic interventions may help in the treatment of psychological trauma resulting from sexual abuse.

This study reveals that a mixture of trauma based cognitive behavioral and supportive therapy as well as psychodynamic measures such as play therapy can help in the treatment of sexual abuse victims. This is in line with the purpose of the study which seeks to highlight effective solutions towards the treatment of sexual abuse victims. This article is available on the internet through a search psychological treatment of victims of sexual violence.

Pellai, A., & Caranzano-Maitre, M. (2015). Primary prevention of child sexual abuse: Child focused interventions. Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 15(2), 24-35.

Pellai in the article Primary prevention of child sexual abuse: Child focused interventions postulates that sexual abuse affects children’s psychological development across the globe. In his study he observes that sexual abuse is occurs across demographic, family as well as ethnic groups and it affects all sexes, and the aggressors can emanate from within or away from the family members. He notes that not only do most sexual abuse victims remain silent; they also lack appropriate education, preventive measures as well as life skills to help them grow better and safe. Pellai proposes the application of World Health Organization’s life skills based intervention model to help in child and adolescent development even after surviving sexual abuse.

The above study highlights the trauma that victims of sexual abuse go through in the society and how it affects their lifestyles. The journal is relevant with the topic under study because it provide a new paradigm, that is, the life skills intervention model in the management of sexual violence survivors. This significant journal can be found by searching childhood interventions after sexual abuse

Regehr, C., Alaggia, R., Dennis, J., Pitts, A., & Saini, M. (2013). Interventions to reduce distress in adult victims of sexual violence and rape: A systematic review. Campbell systematic reviews9(3), 1-43

The accurate estimate of sexual abuse incidence as well as prevalence differs among countries depending on how it is defined and what acts amount to sexual abuse. This was observed by Regehr et al in their study interventions to reduce distress in adult victims of sexual violence and rape: a systematic review. In spite of the varying estimates majority of sexual abuse victims experience distress after undergoing the traumatic event. The researchers point out that victims of sexual abuse exhibit a lot of depressive symptoms, fear, anxiety, sexual functioning problems and isolation. They also note that 50 percent of victims of sexual violence usually suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is in this regard that the researchers are advocating for psychosocial measures to lower suffering and distress among rape victims.

Given that the article aims to find appropriate intervention techniques to deal with post-traumatic stress disorder among victims of sexual abuse it appropriately fits in the research study. It further assesses the effects of various treatment methods and their durations towards sexual violence victims. This information can be obtained from the internet by searching intervention measures of reducing stress among adult sexual abuse victims.

Sorsoli, L., Kia-Keating, M., & Grossman, F. K. (2008). “I keep that hush-hush": Male survivors of sexual abuse and the challenges of disclosure. Journal of Counseling Psychology55(3), 333-345.

Male victims of sexual abuse unlike their female counterparts have been accorded limited audience despite evidence showing that nearly 16 percent of men have been sexually abused. Even though some people are raising concerns about the extent of implications men undergo because of sexual abuse, it is important to note that sexually violated men just like women experience psychosocial trauma. Sorsoli, Kia-Keating and Grossman in their study “I keep that hush-hush": male survivors of sexual abuse and the challenges of disclosure suggest that sexually abused boys exhibit higher levels of symptoms compared to their female counterparts. According to the researchers, boys are more likely to portray behavioral traumas such as aggression, suicide attempts, substance abuse as well as criminal behaviors than sexually violated girls. It is in this regard that health practitioners should try and confront societal stereotype linked with male and female sexual victimization to contain this criminal act and its effects.

The article introduces an interesting technique, that is, the need to address societal stereotyping, to prevent stigmatization of sexual abuse victims. It similarly highlights the importance of sexual abuse disclosures as important element towards healing process. These, therefore, signify the importance of this article towards the research study. This article can be retrieved from the internet by searching challenges that sexually abused men undergo.

Trask, E. V., Walsh, K., & DiLillo, D. (2011). Treatment effects for common outcomes of child sexual abuse: A current meta-analysis.  Aggression and violent behavior16(1), 6-19.

Trask, Walsh and DiLillom in their study treatment effects for common outcomes of child sexual abuse: a current meta-analysis examined the impacts of psychosocial treatment interventions lowering the impact of sexual abuse. This was done on young individuals below 18 years old to evaluate the impact of treatments on common symptoms of sexual abuse: post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, the internal as well as external problems. The researchers also observed that longer treatment interventions result in higher treatment gains with group and personal treatments also proving effective.

This article is appropriate for the study because it highlights fundamental treatment measures towards sexually molested individuals. It also provides important information pertaining to conditions necessary to achieve effective treatment. This article is can be obtained online by posting effects of treatment for sexual abuse symptoms.

References

Finkelhor, D. (2009). The prevention of childhood sexual abuse. The future of children19(2), 169-194.

Fisher, A., Goodwin, R., & Patton, M. (2009). Men & healing: Theory, Research, and Practice in Working with Male Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Ottawa, ON: The Men’s Project

Harris, L., Freccero, J., & Crittenden, C. (2011). Sexual Violence: Medical and psychosocial support. Berkeley: Human Rights Center. Retrieved from. https://www.law.berkeley.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Sexual-Violence_- Medical-and-Psychsocial-Support-SV-Working-Paper.pdf

Meca, J. S., Alcázar, A. I. R., & Soler, C. L. (2011). The psychological treatment of sexual abuse in children and adolescents: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Clinical and Health Psychology11(1), 67-93.

Pellai, A., & Caranzano-Maitre, M. (2015). Primary prevention of child sexual abuse: Child focused interventions. Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies, 15(2), 24-35.

Regehr, C., Alaggia, R., Dennis, J., Pitts, A., & Saini, M. (2013). Interventions to reduce distress in adult victims of sexual violence and rape: A systematic review. Campbell systematic reviews9(3), 1-43.

Sorsoli, L., Kia-Keating, M., & Grossman, F. K. (2008). “I keep that hush-hush": Male survivors of sexual abuse and the challenges of disclosure. Journal of Counseling Psychology55(3), 333-345.