Re[2]: Decline in Quebec incidence rate of CSA - Search for

[sedlaka1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

     There is one other issue that might be germane to this discussion.  We 
     have found that relying on electronic administrative data systems to 
     characterize maltreatment types is unreliable in connection with 
     sexual abuse when non-adult caretakers (nonparents) are the involved 
     perpetrators.  In those jurisdictions that do not authorize CPS 
     involvement for juvenile perpetrators, the case comes into CPS under 
     the "neglect" classification with the child's parent/guardian as the 
     'named' perpetrator (in order to permit the agency to intervene).  
     When we go into the case files on these cases, we see they are sexual 
     abuse and classify them as such in the NIS.  However, the 
     administrative data systems classify them only as neglect cases.  If 
     there have been any policy shifts about this jurisdictional issue in 
     recent years, official statistics may be "burying" more (or less) sex 
     abuse in the neglect category than they had previously.
     
     Andrea Sedlak
     Westat, Inc.
     sedlaka1@westat.com
     
     

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: Decline in Quebec incidence rate of CSA - Search for
Author:  CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu at internet-e-mail
Date:    7/8/97 3:34 PM


     
Two points in relation to this correspondence. The 
first is to query the link between sexual abuse and 
income level on the basis that such a link represents 
social work/cps activity in relation to income groups 
within a population , rather than incidence. Jean La 
Fontaine's study of ritual abuse in the UK suggested 
that this was even more exaggerated where more extreme 
forms of sexual abuse were involved.
     
The second point relates to Nico Trocme's point about 
backlash etc. There are anecdotal suggestions in the 
UK that social worker dissatisfaction with judicial 
responses to child sexual abuse (hostile court 
settings, cross examinations etc) are such that they 
may effctively be operating an informal diversion 
scheme amd therefore not defining a case as sexual 
abuse- since any formal processing/definition in the 
early stages of a case would lead to a joint 
police/social worker invsetigation which could 
ultimately lead to prosecution. This runs alongside 
arguments about 'de-criminalising' child protection. 
The reluctance to define a case as sexual abuse may 
therefore follow from a value base of supporting the 
child's best interests, or defending the birth family. 
. To get at this, however, it would be important to 
look at social workers' attitudes and to explore in 
some depth how they respond to referrals of sexual 
abuse.
     
Anne Hollows
Principal Lecturer in Social Work
University of East London