NCJ Number
123929
Date Published
1990
Length
186 pages
Annotation
This book focuses on child physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by siblings, with attention to parental reactions to such abuse, causes of the abuse, its effects, and prevention.
Abstract
Information presented is based largely on 150 responses to an advertisement in several major newspapers, newsletters of professional associations, and notices to organizations working in the field of domestic violence. The advertisement and notice requested that persons who had been physically, emotionally, or sexually abused by a sibling as a child write for a questionnaire to which they would respond anonymously. The questionnaire focused on the nature of the abuse, how the abuse affected the victims' lives, parental reactions to the abuse, and how the abuse could have been prevented. In describing parental reactions to the various types of abuses suffered, victims often used the word "betrayed." Some causes of abuse identified by the victims include parental entrusting of the victim to the unsupervised care of an older sibling, parents overwhelmed by their own problems, ineffective interventions, and victim responses. Some effects of the abuse include the continuation of the victim's role in other relationships, self-blame, anger, sexual dysfunctioning, depression, and substance abuse. Prevention suggestions include parents' listening to and believing children's complaints, parental communication about sex to their children, proper child supervision, and the encouragement of appropriate sibling interactions. The author distinguishes between "normal" and deviant sibling abuse. Chapter notes, subject index.