Knott, Theresa Maternal Response in Cases of Suspected and Substantiated Child Sexual Abuse 2012
Krivacska, James J. Societal Myths about Sex Offending and Consequences for Prevention of Offending Behavior Against Children and Women 2001 Editor's Note: Dr. James Krivacska has been convicted of child sexual abuse based upon allegations by two mentally retarded men who were students at the special school. Dr. Krivacska was the school's psychologist. He maintains his innocence and the conviction is on appeal. He wrote this article while an inmate at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center at Avenel, New Jersey, the facility for sexual offenders. He has previously conducted research and written journal articles and a book about sexual abuse prevention programs. With Dr. John Money he edited the 1994 edition of The Handbook of Forensic Sexology: Biomedical & Criminological Perspectives. Antisexualism in Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs — Good Touch, Bad Touch ... Don't Touch? 1993 ABSTRACT: Viewed by many as the first line of defense against child sexual abuse, child sexual abuse prevention (CSAP) programs have proliferated in the past decade with millions of children in the United States and Canada, some as young as 2 and 3 years of age, having been exposed to them. Often promoted as safety programs, promoters of CSAP programs usually assiduously avoid any explicit references to sexuality both in the promotion of the programs to parents as well as in the program content and materials. The absence of explicit discussions of sexuality however, when combined with the very negative messages presented regarding sexual abuse, may very well be promulgating an anti-sexual message to children for whom CSAP programs represent their only source of adult-sanctioned discussions of sex. With some programs now explicitly warning children that sexual activity with peers may be abusive, it appears we have returned to an era when childhood sexuality was viewed as an aberration, rather than a natural developmental process. This paper examines the antisexual messages, explicit and implicit, found in some of the more commonly used CSAP programs and discusses the ramifications for the development of a healthy sexuality in childhood adolescence and adulthood Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs: Can They Cause False Allegations? 1991
Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Programs and Accusations of Child Sexual Abuse: An Analysis 1989 ABSTRACT: Child sexual abuse prevention programs have grown dramatically in recent years but the literature on these programs has not adequately addressed the relationship between prevention programs and accusations of child sexual abuse. This paper reviews child sexual abuse prevention programs as they are currently structured. The current programs are actually secondary prevention programs aimed at teaching children how to recognize abuse and respond to it when it occurs. Such programs are therefore early intervention programs and identification programs rather than prevention programs. However, there is little data indicating a change in the rates of reporting sexual abuse following exposure to these pro grams.
Primary Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse: Alternative, Non-Child Directed Approaches 1989 ABSTRACT: Child sexual abuse prevention programs have traditionally directed efforts at children. However, sound prevention efforts may eventually depend more on programs aimed at adults. Alternative approaches based upon the etiology and the sustaining and maintaining factors of abuse are discussed. Such programs may include education about normal sexual development, efforts to increase the inhibitions against abuse for potential abusers, and therapeutic interventions for adults who are sexually aroused by children. Krivacska, James J., George Riley , Horace Glenn , David Tuytjens , Jeffrey Parker , Joel Durmer , and Ramazan Zuberi Amicus Curiae Brief of the A.D.T.C. Legal Subcommittee — A.A. v. Codey, Docket No.: 59,521 2006 [SEE ABOVE FOR DESCRIPTION] Krivacska, James J., George C. Riley , Walter S. Bastecki, Jr. , Courtney R. Bayer , Gilbert T. Greenfield , and John W. Tate Inside Civil Commitment: Competing Rights, Competing Interests 2003 [SEE ABOVE FOR DESCRIPTION] LLee, Stephen J. All Fall Down 1991 EDITOR'S NOTE: The following personal account of a group therapy program was written by one of the group members and is based upon a journal he has kept. All of the names have been changed. This account illustrates several things. First, the type of group described is not unusual. We have heard similar descriptions about group therapy for sex offenders in different parts of the country.Second, the power of the individual group leader in setting the tone of the group is graphically demonstrated. Research on sensitivity groups indicates that group leaders whose leadership reflects their own hostility and pathology are extremely harmful and produce not only ineffective therapy but actual harm to the group members (See Lieberman, Yalom, & Miles, Encounter Groups: First Facts, New York: Basic Books, 1973). This appears to be what may have happened under the leadership of Mike Boggs. Leon, Chrysanthi Are Lawyers Different? — Professional Resistance, Mandated Child Abuse Reporting and the Duty of Confidentiality 2007 Overview: Anxiety about child abuse combined with a general trend towards placing the responsibility for crime control in the hands of the public has led to a variety of changes in the laws surrounding child abuse and sexual violence. This essay considers one of these policy innovations — mandatory reporting laws — in light of the professional duty of confidentiality to which attorneys must adhere, or risk censure.1 California did not pass an explicit exception to allow attorneys to violate confidentiality until 2004, while other professions such as medicine, the clergy and social work surrendered to a mandated reporting system much earlier.Are lawyers different? After considering the arguments for and against maintaining attorneys’ discretion to violate confidentiality, as well as the efficacy of mandated reporting, I argue that such discretion should be preserved and perhaps returned to other professions. Lepore, Frank Child Witness: Cognitive and Social Factors Related to Memory and Testimony 1991 ABSTRACT: This article reviews and critically evaluates research on social and cognitive factors related to children's witness abilities. Several consistent findings emerged despite the manifold methodological problems noted. First, children's free recall is generally accurate, but the amount of information recalled increases from preschool-age to adolescence, at which time it reaches adult levels. Second, performance on cued recall tasks approaches adult levels by the age of 6 or 8 years. Third, children start to distinguish real-pretend dimensions by the age of 1 to 5 years. Fourth, suggestive questioning has little influence on children's free recall, though preschooler's recognition memory is easily corrupted by suggestive questioning. By 7 to 10 years, children appear to be no more vulnerable to suggestions than adults. Child witness research paradigms are summarized and recommendations are made for increasing the validity of future studies. Lorandos, Demosthenes and Terence W. Campbell Myths and Realities of Sexual Abuse Evaluation and Diagnosis: A Call for Judicial Guidelines 1995 ABSTRACT: Ten myths associated with false allegations of sexual abuse are explored in terms of the relevant scientific literature. This literature, along with common experience, should be considered by family courts when they encounter cases involving sexual abuse allegations. Luza, Sabrina and Enrique Ortiz The Dynamic of Shame in Interactions Between Child Protective Services and Families Falsely Accused of Child Abuse 1991 ABSTRACT: The concept of a shame-based family system in which parents shame their children was applied to the relationship between Child Protective Services (CPS) and families accused of child abuse. Twenty families who reported that they had been wrongly accused of child abuse completed a questionnaire. Content analysis of the questionnaires supported the hypothesis that the elements of a shame-based family system are present in the relationship between CPS and the families they investigate. The respondents indicated feelings of powerlessness, self- doubt, depression, and isolation, and perceived the CPS as omnipotent, abandoning them, quickly accusing them, and acting in emotionally harmful ways towards them. MMcIver, William II Wrongful Convictions and Accountability 2006 DISCLOSURE: In 1988 Mr. Marquis convinced a jury I tampered with a witness and evidence, in spite of knowing the crime couldn't physically have happened. Which would take all of 10 minutes to prove in an unbiased setting. But this tale is unrelated to these observations. I criticized prosecutors long before they knocked me off the witness chair.In an Op-Ed letter to the New York Times , "The Innocent and the Shammed ," (1/26/06, and later in The Oregonian , Oregon DA Josh Marquis bemoans the recent concern over wrongful convictions, which he maintains are a popular misconception. The reality, he says, is that we should be far more worried about the wrongfully freed than the wrongfully convicted. He boasts the justice system is right 99.973% of the time and wrong only .027% of the time. If he is right, this means that out of 100,000 convictions, 99,973 are justified and only 27 aren't.No wonder he crows: "Most industries would like to claim such a record of efficiency." Right. And when they find out they'll cram courtrooms to see how prosecutors do it.However, he extrapolated his fanciful numbers by fudging a University of Michiganreport titled: Exonerations in the United States: 1989 through 2003 . [PDF/Adobe Acrobat ][...] Behind the Prison Walls 1997 Psychology Editor's Note: William Mclver, Ph.D., a former clinical psychologist in private practice in Oregon, spent eight months in prison in Oregon in 1988-1989. His license was also then revoked by the Oregon Licensing Board. Dr. Mclver had been active in assisting defendants charged with sexual abuse of children up to the time of his imprisonment. We consider it fair to permit him to tell his story inasmuch as there continues to be false statements made about him in trials and in print. We also believe his time behind the prison walls gives a rare opportunity for forensic psychologists and mental health professionals to get some impression of what prison is, and the role and conduct of mental health professionals as experienced by prisoners. Therefore, we choose to print the following introduction and article by Dr Mclver. The article was written by Dr. Mclver at the request of prison inmates who had come to know him during his time spent with them in prison. It is his response to what he saw mental health professionals doing to those in prison.IntroductionI wrote this for my pen pals in the Oregon State Penitentiary, where I was "Resident Psychologist" in 1988-1989. Hence, the tone.I was one of a handful of psychologists in the U.S. who testified for the defense in cases of alleged child sex abuse in 1984-87. I claimed that most charges were contrived, judges routinely let prosecutors suborn perjury, and most (over 90% of 600-plus I've examined) personality evaluations done for the state were bogus. Prosecutors targeted me for these views.I consulted in over 20 day-care center and over 350 divorce or custody cases where sex abuse, satanic rituals, etc., were charged, and I audio- or videotaped interviews with over 200 children. Many of these interviews were done in a room with a one-way mirror, with parents and prosecutors on the other side. In all but two cases, the kids denied statements mental health workers and prosecutors claimed they made in unrecorded interviews. Juries which heard or saw the tapes acquitted.[...] McIver, William II, Ralph Underwager, and Hollida Wakefield Behavior of Abused and Non-Abused Children in Interviews With Anatomically Correct Dolls 1989 ABSTRACT: Fifty non-abused and ten abused children were given anatomically-correct dolls and their behaviors were observed. None of the abused children had been previously interviewed or treated for sexual abuse. For seven of the children, following the initial portion of the interview, the interviewer deliberately used leading questions, cues, modeling and reinforcement in an attempt to elicit sexual behaviors with the dolls.There were no differences in the behavior and responses to the dolls between the abused and the non-abused children. In general, the children did not identify the gender of the dolls on the basis of primary sexual characteristics. However, two-fifths of the children spontaneously talked about and/or touched the dolls' genitals and three-fifths placed the dolls in clear sexual positions and/or played with the dolls in an overtly aggressive manner. Six of the seven children who were given leading questions, cues, modeling and reinforcement responded by performing the behaviors that were cued, modeled and reinforced. McMahon, Mickey A False Confession of Child Sexual Abuse on the Navaho Reservation: The Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scale and Expert Testimony 1993 ABSTRACT Prosecutions of child sexual abuse on Native American reservations are handled by both federal and tribal courts. Since both see significantly fewer cases than state courts, many of the practices established by precedent are lacking in safeguards against false allegations and confessions. The psychological assessment of a Navajo man who confessed to raping a 12-year-old girl on the reservation illustrates how a previous head injury in the Marines can leave someone vulnerable to interrogative suggestibility and false confession (Gudjonsson, 1992). Court testimony by the author also illustrates how research into the real world of child interrogations (Underwager & Wakefield (1990) can successfully offset biased presentations to the jury and contribute to a not guilty verdict. Manross, Marvin Mandatory Sentencing 1992
Maxson, Jane Crisis in Education: False Allegations of Child Abuse 1991 Crisis in education. Those are words that are heard frequently, and education is facing a crisis. It is a crisis that is not discussed. A crisis about which very little has been written. A crisis that many hope will go away if ignored. It is a crisis that is very real. The crisis is false allegations of child abuse against teachers and other school employees.Those involved in working with children in the educational setting have genuine concerns relating to child abuse. They must deal with the total child. When the child arrives at school he frequently brings additional baggage with him that affects all school employees. Examples of such baggage are neglect, mental abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, and abuse by the child protective system. Therefore the laws designed to protect the child and provide him with the safest possible environment of necessity directly impact the educator.Unfortunately, educators have been caught up in the system. Laws have mandated them to be reporters. Teachers, along with other mandated reporters, have been threatened and intimidated with prosecution for failure to report. Confusion abounds especially about the definition of abuse. If educators are to continue, by law, to be mandated reporters, then they must be provided with a more precise definition of child abuse.School employees realize how vulnerable they are to being victims of false allegations by an unhappy student or parent. Even when the report of suspected abuse is labeled as unfounded they find their names have been entered into state registries. Teachers face hearings conducted by the state licensing boards and local school board. Those hearings are in addition to the child protective service, criminal, and possible civil hearings that occur when there has been an accusation of child abuse. As a result, many teachers have chosen to remove the nurturing touch in the classroom.Too many times the statement has been made, "If we must err, let us err on the side of the child." The present system is not erring on the side of the child. Money, John, K. Swayam Prakasam, and Venkat N. Joshi Transcultural Development Sexology: Genital Greeting Versus Child Molestation 1991
Mould, Douglas E. The Politics of Victimization: An Essay on Accountability, Responsibility And the Resistance to Being Equal 1997 ABSTRACT: This article deals with women's violence against men and explores the political underpinnings that mitigate against factual and rational discussions of any aspect of women's violence against men. Murphy, Jr. , William H. Court of Appeals of Maryland: Maryland v. Craig 1990
Appeal Brief, Court of Appeals of Maryland: Maryland vs. Craig 1989 Editor's note: The following is an appeal brief in the case of Sandra Ann Craig v. Maryland. Mrs. Craig was a day care operator who was accused of sexual abuse and assault of several children in her day care center. She was convicted of sticking a five-year old girl with thumbtacks on her hands and arms, and inserting a stick in the child's vagina. The appeal questions were:I. Was evidence that could have exculpated Ms. Craig or created a reasonable doubt of her guilt withheld by the state?II. Did the trial court violate the confrontation clause, due process, and Wildermuth by permitting the child witnesses to testify on one-way closed-circuit television pursuant to CJ9-102? N (Name Withheld) Log From Last Month 2002 Well, here it is, July 3rd already and I have some real news for you. I took my first trip out in 14 years yesterday and it was an awesome journey. When I returned I completed a log of what took place. Here it is:FIRST TRIP OUT!!! Very early this morning I got up and learned that the trip would be briefly delayed due to an < city > hospital trip. This did not bother me at all. From about 6:30 a.m. until we left at 11 :30 my thoughts were of not wanting to do anything wrong and to not get < Dr. R > or < C > mad at me. Prior to leaving I felt very anxious and nervous, to the point of my entire body quivering with nervous tension. I went outside to pray and to meditate a bit and that helped calm me down so I was almost normal again. I thought of the women and children that I knew I would see and felt anxiety, worrying that the old feelings of arousal would arise. I mentally re-affirmed my decision to be brutally honest and to tell them of any thoughts of an improper nature.< C > went to the bank and moved funds into checking and brought me back $100.00 to use during the trip. When I was outside watching him leave for the bank I felt a thrill of excitement run through me and wondered how much the money had changed in these past 14 years. I was also feeling pleased that I finally was getting the blue jeans.While < C > was gone,< Dr. R > got me the clothes that my attorney had given me, so I wore those and they fit nearly perfectly. I thought they looked sharp and that they felt smooth and fresh on me. I then decided to wear them out and did so.At 11 :30 we left the unit and I learned that we would be going out through the intake, which led to a feeling of disappointment. For whatever reason I had believed and hoped that we would go out the main entry. Later I learned that the reason had something to do with count problems. This I could understand to a point, but there are easy ways to resolve that. Anyway, as we left I felt ecstatic. I also felt nervous and a bit scared.[...] Nathan, Debbie Revisiting Country Walk 1993 ABSTRACT: The Country Walk day care case in Miami is often cited as support for the reality of ritual abuse. This case is said to have been corroborated with "hard" evidence: one child had a positive test for gonorrhea of the throat and there was a confession from one of the defendants. A book, Unspeakable Acts ()(), and a television docudrama with the same title popularized Country Walk nationally. However, there are serious problems with the confession, which appears to have been coerced, and the test used for gonorrhea was later found to be unreliable. The videotaped interviews of the children were extremely leading and suggestive — most children initially denied abuse and affirmed it only after pressure from the interviewers and their own families. In addition, the relationship of Unspeakable Acts author Jan Hollingsworth to the prosecution of the case calls into question the objectivity of what has long been considered the authoritative history of the case. Nelson, Eric L. Testimonial Minefield: An Overview Of Interrogation Techniques Utilized By Attorneys During Adversarial Questioning And Cross-Examination 2003 Abstract: Attorneys are permitted to use aggressive interrogation techniques during adversarial questioning of a professional called upon to provide expert testimony in a matter at law. Nineteen such methods are identified and explained in this article. Professionals may wish to self-assess for vulnerability using the material from this article as a template for analysis. Nelson, Eric L. and Philip I. Kaushall Deposing a Mental Health Provider in Civil Lawsuits Involving Sexual Abuse Allegations 1996 ABSTRACT: Civil lawsuits involving sexual abuse allegations, including plaintiffs with recovered memory claims and/or malpractice claims by retractors, generally include depositions of mental health providers. Such depositions can provide valuable information to the attorney. Areas that should be covered are discussed and lines of questions suggested. Nelson, Eric L. and Paul Simpson First Glimpse: An Initial Examination of Subjects Who Have Rejected their Recovered Visualizations as False Memories 1994 ABSTRACT: Recently, questions have been raised regarding the validity of "memories" of abuse which were not remembered until intervention techniques were used to "recover" them. A growing number of people are rejecting their visualizations as false memories. This exploratory study gathered demographic information and characteristics of some common experiences from a sample of these people. Reports of group members sharing flashbacks are disturbing, and group contagion is likely. Survivor books, movies, and videotapes appear to play a role in producing visualizations. The media may also contribute to distortion and confabulation in memories. Litigation by retractors appears high. It is necessary to distinguish between visualizations, historical memories, and fantasy. OOellerich, Thomas D. Child Sexual Abuse: Is the Routine Provision of Psychotherapy Warranted? 2001
Identifying and Dealing with "Child Savers" 1998 ABSTRACT: Child sexual abuse is immoral and should be condemned. However, equally immoral is the activity perpetrated by "child savers." These are professionals who, in their zeal to protect alleged child and adult victims of child sexual abuse, adversely impact the lives of individuals and families. The primary purpose of this paper is to provide a set of indicators which should alert practitioners that they are in the presence of these professionals. A second purpose is to recommend alternative ways for social workers and the profession to deal with child savers. Öhrström, Lilian The Rape 1997 Editor's Note: This article is translated from a chapter of Lilian Öhrström's book, "Sex, Lögner och Terapi" (Sex, Lies and Therapy), Norsteds, 1996. During a scholarship stay in the United States, she observed the hysterical reports on television concerning the McMartin case. Ten years later she saw the same accusations and a similar series of events leading to the arrest of seven adults in a small village in Norway called Bjugn. She wrote a series of articles on the issue of false accusations and modern witch hunts and eventually took a leave of absence from her job as a journalist to write this 302-page book. Its subtitle is "The Reality Behind the Witch Trials of Our Times." The book brought her recognition as being a popularizer of difficult subjects and she won the Swedish award for 'Popular Educator of the Year." Overholser, James C. Ambiguity, Barriers, and Contradictions: The ABCs of Child Abuse Allegations 1991 ABSTRACT: Variables that impede the accurate identification and reporting of child sexual abuse include ambiguity, barriers, and contradictions. Ambiguity refers to the difficulties involved in knowing if a situation should be considered abusive and whether the observer needs to respond to the situation as a crisis. Barriers come into play once other people know abuse has occurred but their assistance can still be delayed or inhibited by many psychosocial factors. Barriers to the identification and effective treatment of child abuse include stigma, secrecy, blame, and diffusion of responsibility. Once the problem has been identified and reported, many factors can obscure the accurate portrayal of the events that happened. Child abuse allegations are fraught with contradictions arising because of circumstantial evidence, lack of corroboration, and contamination of interviews. Recommendations are made to help ensure the prompt and accurate identification, reporting, and prosecution of child abuse cases. PP.T. and W.W. Complaint and Motion 2003 Editor's Note: The following complaint and motion from the Avenal Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in New Jersey is significant for two reasons. The first is that it presents a view from the inside of a treatment and assessment procedure. There is a considerable controversy about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of sexual offender treatment programs. A voice seldom heard in the literature on this issue is that of the people who are recipients of the assessment and treatment procedures. It is reasonable to expect that there is some level of bias possible in research programs that are designed, administered, and interpreted by those persons who vend the programs and the assessment procedures. It may be important to hear what the people who are assessed and treated have to say about what they experience. It may assist in improving both assessment and treatment. The second significant aspect of this complaint and motion is that it demonstrates what a group of people can accomplish, living in a Draconian, Spartan, and rigidly controlled environment with very few resources. It may be difficult for anyone not actually living in a prison environment to grasp or comprehend what it may be as far as ability to function. It is likely that many of the persons functioning quite well in a normal academic or business environment could not make it at all in a prison. This effort from within that environment deserves respect and acknowledgement even if is is not agreed with as a complaint.Ralph Underwager Pangborn, Kenneth R. Identifying and Correcting Problems With Forensic Interviews of Alleged Child Sexual Abuse Victims: A Holistic Environmental Approach 2009
Parker, Jeffrey, George Riley , Horace Glenn , James J. Krivacska , David Tuytjens , Joel Durmer , and Ramazan Zuberi Amicus Curiae Brief of the A.D.T.C. Legal Subcommittee — A.A. v. Codey, Docket No.: 59,521 2006 [SEE ABOVE FOR DESCRIPTION] Peterson, Hollis How to Get Removed From a Central Registry 1991 Being falsely accused of sexually abusing your own child is a horrifying experience. Your life is completely disrupted and you will never be the same. Some falsely accused persons lose complete contact with their children. A parent may be forced to leave the home and live separately, prohibited from any contact with children or even the spouse. If the accused is a noncustodial parent, visitation may be terminated or custody lost. There may be criminal charges. Juvenile court action is almost certain.It is an overwhelming experience. You will be confronted and controlled by one of the most powerful state agencies. In the name of protecting children from abuse, a goal shared by everyone, individual rights and family rights are suspended and ignored. The actions of the Department of Human Services in many ways is parallel to the Gestapo. The determinative priority is to find another case of founded child abuse, even if there is little or nothing to support that finding.Most people falsely accused will soon find their name entered in a Central Child Abuse Registry. In many states, when a decision is made by a social worker to "indicate," "substantiate," or classify an allegation as "founded," the names of all suspected persons are forwarded for inclusion in the central registry. The individual may or may not be notified that this action has been taken.[...] Piper, August, Jr. Amytal Interviews and "Recovered Memories" of Sexual Abuse: A Note 1994 ABSTRACT: The literature on Amytal interviews from 1930 to late 1993 was reviewed. Twelve studies examined patients' abilities to tell the truth while under the influence of the drug. None of these research reports endorsed using Amytal as a "truth serum." Instead, they noted deficiencies of the procedure that destroy the ability to accurately relate past events. Pollock, Mark S. Prosecutorial Ethics 1990 It has been stated that the law is whatever is forcefully asserted and plausibly maintained. In our adversarial system, the role of the lawyer is to zealously and forcefully assert and advocate the position of his client, and to win.Prosecutors are lawyers, hired to represent the People of the State and to act as the people's advocate. But prosecutors fulfill a second, equally important function. An honest prosecutor is the strongest fortress and protection for the integrity of the Constitution of the United States.The role of a prosecutor, then, serves two masters. First, the prosecutor has an obligation to attempt to present evidence to courts advocating the people's position, upholding the law, and obtaining convictions for violations of the law.Second, and no less importantly, the prosecutor has an obligation to oversee the investigation of crime. Where it appears that the investigation has violated the constitutional rights of suspects, the prosecutor then has an obligation to the People of the State to take whatever action is necessary and appropriate to remedy those violations of individual rights. This is called prosecutorial discretion, the right and sometimes the obligation of a prosecutor to reject a case which has been referred by a police agency because rights have been violated as part of the investigative process.There are those prosecutors, who, like defense attorneys, feel that their ethical obligation to the client (the people) is best served by doing whatever is necessary to obtain a conviction. They therefore do the best they can to obtain the maximum penalty for the violation.However, there is another school of thought.[...] Prosser, Jon An Ethnographic Case Study Approach to Studying the Process of Child Abuse Investigation in the United Kingdom 1995 ABSTRACT: This article is concerned with methodological issues related to studies into investigative practices following accusations of child abuse. Part Onedescribes an ethnographic case study approach adopted by a study conducted in the UK and explores how research design was in part molded by the circumstances and context in which the study took place. Part Twotakes a broader perspective and identifies some of the problems and benefits which may ensue as a result of adopting a qualitative approach. It is apparent that adopting a qualitative strategy, particularly an ethnographic one, is problematic. However, whilst ethnographic case study work brings with it significant methodological problems it offers valuable insights into the process of child abuse investigation carried out by protection agencies. A Case Study of a UK Family Wrongly Accused of Child Abuse 1995 ABSTRACT: This case study of a UK family wrongly accused of child abuse explores the process factors involved in the investigation along with the consequences for the accused and their family. Three aspects of the process are identified as significant: (1) the imbalance of power within the investigating agencies; (2) the abandonment of professional codes of conduct and practice by some investigators when they believe child sexual abuse has taken place; and (3) the failure of the system to acknowledge or compensate the wrongly accused family for the trauma and losses they suffer as a result of the accusation and investigation. RRadko, Karen Child Abuse: Guilty Until Proven Innocent or Legalized Governmental Child Abuse 1993 ABSTRACT: Statistics on the outcome of cases investigated in Florida indicate that in only a very small proportion of the reported cases was it ultimately determined that the parents had abused their children. Although the stated goal of child protection agencies is to keep the family united, in reality children are often quickly removed and placed into foster care following an investigation that is traumatic for parents and children alike, especially when there was no abuse. Suggestions are made for improving the way the system operates. Rand, Deirdre Conway Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: A Complex Type of Emotional Abuse Responsible for Some False Allegations of Child Abuse in Divorce 1993 ABSTRACT: Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSP) is a complex form of child abuse in which an adult, usually a mother, creates the appearance that her child is ill by fabricating evidence and even by inducing symptoms in the child. A contemporary form of this syndrome occurs when the mother creates the appearance that the child has been abused by someone else, generally the father in a divorce and custody or visitation dispute. Warning signs for contemporary-type MSP are presented along with descriptions of the dynamics involved and the factors that are important in diagnosis and case management. Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Integration of Classic and Contemporary Types 1990
Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy as a Possible Factor When Abuse is Falsely Alleged 1989
Reid, Carol Shalom, Salem 2002 Salem, Massachusetts, site of the infamous "witch trials" of 1692, became the remorseful reckoning place, five years afterwards, for an official "Day of Contrition," on which the citizens of Salem gathered to fast and pray, and to try and learn the lessons of that great injustice. Three centuries later, on January 13th and 14th, a hundred and seventy people assembled at the Hawthorne Hotel(named for the writer who soul-searchingly counted his own ancestors among the village vilifiers) for a convocation called "A Day of Contrition- Revisited." Sponsored by the San Diego-based Justice Committee, it was an opportunity for those who have been variously afflicted by what one of the speakers, Harvard professor Richard Gardner, has deemed the third great wave of hysteria "and by far the worst" in our country's history, to meet one another and speak openly about their ordeals.These included parents accused of "satanic ritual abuse" or just years of "regular" incest by grown daughters in "recovered memory" therapy. What would normally be a stunning revelation quickly became commonplace, over coffee at the bed and breakfast, out of seat mates during lunch and dinner, from the woman who gave me a ride back to the Boston bus depot. One person told me a relatively happy variation on the theme: His daughter is the "Christian retractor" who was interviewed in my recent acquaintance and former librarian's groundbreaking tome, Victims of Memory (). Mark Pendergrast was rebuffed by every mainstream publisher he approached, despite his prize-winning reputation, due to the supposedly dicey fact of his having been accused by his own daughters.[...] Richardson, Darrell W. The Effects of a False Allegation of Child Sexual Abuse on an Intact Middle Class Family 1990 ABSTRACT: The personal, clinical, and legal experience of an intact family of four in which which a false allegation of sexual abuse was made by the daughter toward the father was reported. The family was followed for two years. The experience destroyed the family and the parents and children all suffered depression, stress, rage, distress, hurt, and alienation. This case study parallels the available literature which indicates that a false allegation of sexual abuse is destructive and traumatic. Richardson, Dell The Verdict 1993
Riley, George, Horace Glenn , James J. Krivacska , David Tuytjens , Jeffrey Parker , Joel Durmer , and Ramazan Zuberi Amicus Curiae Brief of the A.D.T.C. Legal Subcommittee — A.A. v. Codey, Docket No.: 59,521 2006 [SEE ABOVE FOR DESCRIPTION] Riley, George C., Walter S. Bastecki, Jr. , Courtney R. Bayer , Gilbert T. Greenfield , James J. Krivacska , and John W. Tate Inside Civil Commitment: Competing Rights, Competing Interests 2003 [SEE ABOVE FOR DESCRIPTION] Ristoja, Aulikki and Thomas The Niko Story: Can There Be a Happy End in Abuse Accusation Cases? 1996 ABSTRACT When "Niko" was discovered in sex play with another child in his day care center, the staff became concerned and recommended professional evaluations for Niko and his family. By the time the family's saga ended, Niko had been subjected to multiple suggestive interviews and given countless hours of therapy by an assortment of psychologists and psychiatrists. He was removed from home, hospitalized, placed in children's homes, and only allowed limited visits with his parents under strict supervision. Niko's father was criminally charged with sexually abusing him and the parents divorced under the stress of the situation. The allegations grew to include sadistic rituals involving both parents and the older brother. Eventually the parents went public and finally succeeded in getting Niko returned after three and a half years. This case received tremendous attention in Finland. In this article, the parents describe their ordeal and comment on the political situation in the Nordic countries in general and Finland in particular which contributes to this type of tragedy. Robbins, Susan P. The Social and Cultural Context of Satanic Ritual Abuse Allegations 1998 ABSTRACT: This article explores the multiple, interrelated, and converging social and cultural forces in American society that gave rise to the allegations of widespread satanic ritual abuse that first emerged in the 1980s and eventually peaked in the 1990s. It also examines the factors that sustained both public and professional belief in ritual abuse and suggests that it is the confluence of a variety of factors within the larger societal context that created a climate in which ritual abuse allegations flourished.Beginning in the early 1980s, stories of well-organized satanic cults began to emerge in police reports of horrifying crimes. Not surprisingly, these accounts became increasingly widespread as they also came to be well-publicized by the media. A multigenerational, underground cult network was allegedly orchestrating gruesome satanic rituals that routinely included child sexual abuse, ritualistic torture, mutilation, and human sacrifice (Bromley, 1991; Nathan & Snedeker, 1995). Both media and police reports were based on hand-hand accounts of childhood ritual abuse from adults in psychotherapy who claimed that they had "recovered" previously repressed memories, and from young children in day care who allegedly suffered satanic abuse while in the care of Satanist teachers and caretakers (Jenkins, 1992; Jenkins & Maier-Katkin, 1991; Mulhern, 1991; Nathan & Snedeker, 1995; Victor, 1993).Although these accounts of satanic ritual abuse (SRA) varied to some degree, most shared common themes and were based on anecdotal descriptions of early childhood sexual abuse at the hands of parents or caretakers. Recovered memories of SRA most typically included brainwashing, being drugged, sexually abused, and being forced to watch or participate in satanic rituals, drinking human blood, and ritual murder. Such early ritual initiation was supposedly preparation for an eventual role as a "breeder" who delivered infants to the satanic cult solely for the purpose of ritual sacrifice. Children in day care who made accusations of SRA against their teachers and caretakers gave accounts of ongoing, and often daily sexual abuse that typically included violent rape, and vaginal and anal mutilation with sharp objects. Such acts allegedly took place during normal day care hours and included the presence of magic rooms, tunnels, clowns, jungle animals, animal mutilation, and flying.Allegations such as these were often accepted as factual accounts, despite the fantastic nature of the stories and the lack of evidence to support such claims. It was believed, after all, that children would not lie about sexual abuse and that adults could not invent such realistic and consistent memories of horrific abuse.This article examines the multiple, interrelated, and converging social and cultural forces in American society that gave rise to such SRA allegations and explores the factors that sustained both public and professional belief in widespread ritual abuse. Previous literature in this area has described the influence of specific social factors and trends in the growing therapeutic enterprise (Mulhern, 1991; Nathan & Snedeker, 1995; Pendergrast, 1996; Smith, 1995; Victor, 1993; Wakefield & Underwager, 1994), but none has fully examined the convergence of historical, social, cultural, professional, and ideological forces and their combined influence on the subsequent reporting of and belief in SRA. Rogers, Martha L. Evaluating Adult Litigants Who Allege Injuries from Sexual Abuse: Clinical Assessment Methods for Traumatic Memories 1992
Evaluating an Alleged Satanic Ritualistic Abuser: What We Don't Know 1991
Coping with Alleged False Sexual Molestation: Examination and Statement Procedures 1990
Review of the Current Status of the Use of Statement Validity Analysis Procedures in Sex Abuse Cases in the United States 1990
Ronan, William J. Memory, Suggestion and Truth 1993 ABSTRACT: The interviews in the McMartin Preschool case illustrate how confusing the roles of therapist and investigator can result in leading and coercive questioning that creates memories for events that never happened. Therapy techniques have their roots in suggestion and social influence. Since hypnosis is best understood as a form of enhanced suggestibility, the research on hypnosis can be generalized to psychotherapy. Pavlov's research suggests that it is the healthiest individuals who are the most easily influenced. The combination of suggestibility to influence and obedience to authority means therapists must be very cautious about information elicited from clients in therapy. There is a difference between truth as dealt with in therapy and truth that involves others, particularly in the legal system. Ross, Karol L. State v. Michaels:A New Jersey Supreme Court Prescription for the Rest of the Country 1997 ABSTRACT: Procedures traditionally used by courts to admit testimony in child abuse cases are reviewed in terms of the law and the social science literature. Current research indicates that suggestive and coercive interviews can lead a child to provide an account of an event that did not happen. In recognition of this, the New Jersey Supreme Court in State v. Michaels addressed the question of the reliability of a child's testimony by establishing a pretrial taint hearing procedure. It is proposed that this procedure be adopted by courts throughout the county. Ross, Karol L. and Gordon J. Blush Sexual Abuse Validity Discriminators in the Divorced or Divorcing Family 1990 ABSTRACT: Accusations of sexual abuse in divorce and custody disputes have become a problem for the professionals who must investigate these cases and determine whether the abuse is real. There have been more cases of false allegations in recent years, and the investigator must carefully consider the context in which the allegations arise. The personalities and behaviors of the persons involved in an abuse allegation provide important information. The authors report on three personality patterns found in falsely accusing spouses: histrionic personality, justified vindicator, and borderline personality. The falsely accused spouse is generally passive, nurturing, and lacks "macho" characteristics. The behaviors of the children involved in the situation can also aid in differentiating true from false allegations. Investigation and Case Management Issues and Strategies 1990 ABSTRACT: Sexual abuse allegations arising in the context of a custody and visitation dispute provide a difficult challenge to professionals. These cases are often misunderstood and mismanaged, which does great harm to all parties involved. Cases which turn out to be false are characterized by a loss of control, usually in the early stages of the allegation. Frequently observed case management problems are described and suggestions made as to how to manage such cases more effectively. Professionals must be open-minded and sensitive to both the rights of children and of adults. Without more objective guidelines and more effective procedures, humane and meaningful control of the sexual abuse case is not possible. Rossen, Benjamin Mass Hysteria in Oude Pekela 1989 ABSTRACT: This account describes allegations that dangerous child molesters were operating in a small village in the Netherlands and the subsequent multiple interrogations of nearly all the preschool children in the village. This started as a result of slight anal injuries resulting from sex play between two small boys. Over several months the stories grew to include fecal and urinary games, sexual abuse, vaginal and anal rape, sadomasochistic performances, manufacture of pornography, drug administration, bizarre rites, and the sacrificial torture and murder of infants. There were no physical injuries apart from the slight anal injuries in the first two children and no pornography or other evidence was found and the police eventually declared the episode to be an outburst of mass hysteria. However, the allegations are still being taken seriously by some people and this episode has created much controversy in the Netherlands. SSarnoff, Susan Kiss Assessing the Costs of False Allegations of Child Abuse: A Prescriptive 1997 ABSTRACT: False allegations of child abuse result in considerable costs to all aspects of the criminal justice and social service systems and to society as a whole as well as the falsely accused. The factors behind these costs are explored and suggestions made for increasing accountability. (CONTINUED IN FOLLOWING POST) |