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Factors associated with the detection of the signs of child sexual abuse
Goddard, Nick
Goddard, Nick
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2018
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Master's Thesis
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Abstract
Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a major international societal concern, with up to 48% of
women and 29% of men having experienced it, often with severe resultant
psychological issues. The utility of offender management programs in reducing CSA is
disputed and the reporting rate of CSA is low, so the ability to detect sexually abusive
relationships between adults and children is of increased importance. However, media
propagation of child sex offender stereotypes inhibits their detection. This study used a
vignette-based online questionnaire to explore if the signs of abuse can be detected in
a child’s relationship with their football coach and if the ‘dirty old man’ age stereotype
impacts detection. Whether adults already trained in detecting CSA rated the potential
for sexual abuse differently than untrained adults in scenarios where it was included
was also explored. The analyses indicated a significantly higher rating for CSA in
‘abuse’ scenarios than ‘no-abuse’ scenarios across all participants, with a large effect
size. However, there was no significant difference in rating based on abuser age (none
given, 19, 50). Additionally, CSA trained participants did not rate abuse scenarios
significantly differently than untrained participants. Lack of trust in the media, extensive
reporting of high-profile cases that did not include a stereotypically-aged sex offender,
and the personal experiences of participants were considered as potential mitigating
factors for the age stereotype. The focus of existing CSA training on symptoms rather
than relationships is considered as a potential explanation for similar ratings between
trained and untrained participants.
Citation
Goddard, N. (2018). Factors associated with the detection of the signs of child sexual abuse. (Master's thesis). University of Chester, United Kingdom.
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University of Chester
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Thesis or dissertation
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en