Treatment of Sexual Abuse and Foster Care

Treatment of Sexual Abuse and Foster Care

The assumption that there is an already-existing relational imbalance within the family before the occurrence of incest was quite surprising. Crosson-Tower (2020) claims that sexual abuse is just a symptom resulting from a larger family problem. I was surprised because it is often believed that sexual abuse within a family occurs unpredictably. However, after reading the book, I have come to understand that it is not enough to isolate the individual perpetrator but to look at them in the family context, striving to understand the family dynamics that might have contributed to the abuse. This would mean an attempt to analyze how the family relates and communicates with one another.

Crosson-Tower (2020) emphasizes that it is impossible for incest to occur in a family if no major problems in the way the family relates or communicates with each other exist. The fact that there is a possibility that the abuse could be generational and is fed by dysfunctional relational and communication patterns in the family confirms the role of family dynamics in enhancing intergenerational abuse. However, I do not fully agree with the manner in which the offender’s individual responsibility has been minimized. I have heard of a case where a family lost the mother, and one night while the kids were sleeping, the father crept into the room and raped the first-born daughter, who was 13 years then. It would be highly unfair not to hold the father responsible for his actions, even if one would argue that the father feels that the first-born daughter automatically assumes parental duties in the household. There is the possibility that the two had a good working relationship, with the daughter interpreting any form of closeness as a symbol of love from the father. However, after the sexual abuse, the relationship dynamics would definitely change. Therefore, there is also the possibility that the abuse results in poor family dynamics, and not just that poor family dynamics can lead to sexual abuse. It is, therefore, important to hold individuals responsible, even as issues surrounding family dynamics are resolved.

A thorough investigation into one’s family dynamics is important in understanding the context in which sexual abuse occurs in a family. This helps in addressing the problem holistically. It would be important to deal with any relational and communication issues that are at play. However, it is also important to hold individuals accountable to ensure this cycle is discouraged and hopefully broken.

References

Crosson-Tower, C. (2020). Understanding child abuse and neglect (10th ed.). Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135170915

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chapter 14&15

Treatment of Sexual Abuse & Foster Care

Your text outlines 5 assumptions to be made when working with a sexually abusive family; they frame the assessment and intervention. Among these 5, select the 1 most interesting to you and explain why this specific assumption stood out; i.e. what about it surprised you, what did you not agree with and why, etc. 350-word minimum, be sure to use APA formatting, in-text citations as needed and do not forget to cite your references in APA format.