Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-dnltx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T17:00:11.753Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

How Qualitative Research Can Inform Clinical Interventions in Families Recovering From Sibling Sexual Abuse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2012

Anne Welfare
Affiliation:
The Bouverie Centre, 8 Gardiner Street, Brunswick, 3056 Victoria 3031.awelfare@bigpond.net.au
Get access

Abstract

The impact of sibling sexual abuse (SSA) has been culturally and therapeutically minimised and has received scant research attention. Furthermore, prior research has focused upon the separate experiences of the victim or the offender, or upon seeking family dysfunction explanations. In contrast, this qualitative study attempts to understand the experiences of all family members (victims, offenders, parents and other siblings) when SSA is disclosed. The pathway to recovery for each family member is identified. A systemic analysis of these (often conflicted) pathways of recovery provides some surprising findings and contributes to an understanding of the difficulties facing families in this situation, the constraints on family support and connectedness, validation for the victim and offender accountability.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)