TITLE:
Children Should Be Seen and Heard: A Qualitative Analysis of Abuse Histories Provided by Children with Ano-Genital Injury Consistent with Sexual Contact
AUTHORS:
Marcella M. Donaruma-Kwoh, K. K. Lopez, A. N. Bachim, A. T. Cruz, C. S. Greeley
KEYWORDS:
Child Molestation, Child Molestation, Sexual, Molestation, Sexual, Child, Sexual Abuse of Child, Sexual Abuse, Child
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Applied Sociology,
Vol.11 No.12,
December
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: Study Objective: To describe histories
provided by sexually abused children whose ano-genital examinations
demonstrated injury consistent with abuse. Design: This was a nested cohort
study within a larger epidemiologic study of child sexual abuse. Setting: A
large urban children’s assessment center (CAC) medical clinic population seen
in a single calendar year. Participants: Children aged 6 to 16 years who provided a medical history directly to a pediatric medical
care provider. Main Outcome Measures: The elements of a history provided by
abused children in the context of a corroborative physical exam were described
through qualitative analysis. Results and Conclusions: Both school-aged
children and adolescents identify their perpetrators, outline the mechanics of
abusive contact, and can provide relevant details for medical and forensic
evaluation. This was also true in the subgroup of children with learning
disabilities and psychiatric comorbidities. Children shared an array of
troubled emotions provoked by their abuse experience; narratives of resistance
were more common in younger children, while older adolescents focused most on
their fear. In this study, we demonstrate that abused children are able to
share details of their sexual abuse experiences clearly, with abnormal exams
supporting their disclosure narratives.