RE: Poor monitoring of child & increased risk of sexual abuse

[" Philippa White" <pipwhite@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ariana,
Perhaps it is useful to consider the broader context of 'poor monitoring
of children' as potentially symptomatic of parental sociological or
psychological difficulties, and the prevalence of sexual abuse as linked
to an intergenerational cycle of abuse. 
Probably (the very scarce) research literature targeting child neglect
would provide the most relevant material for your project.
My impressions of recent child abuse literature is that, from a
methodological perspective, it is of questionable value to isolate
'neglect' from 'abuse', although it used to distinguish between active
and passive acts of harm to children.  
Please contact me if you would like some references.  My recent research
in this field confirms my intuitive supposition that poor parental
monitoring/neglect/ family socio-economic disadvantage/ and concomitant
systemic factors naturally result in an increased risk of childhood
sexual abuse (Doh!).  
For the abused individual it also increases susceptibility to subsequent
'targeting' by sexual predators, and a heightened risk of developing
sexually-abusive behaviours.  It is important that these
seemingly-obvious perspectives on child welfare issues are researched,
published and effectively communicated to mass media.
Philippa White.
University of Western Australia.

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu
[mailto:owner-CHILD-MALTREATMENT-RESEARCH-L@cornell.edu] On Behalf Of
Ariana Wall
Sent: Thursday, 11 September 2003 9:40 PM
To: Child Maltreatment Researchers
Subject: Poor monitoring of child & increased risk of sexual abuse


It seems to me rather intuitive that low monitoring of children would be

associated with an increased risk of sexual abuse but I have not found
much 
literature discussing this relationship.  Can any one point me toward 
research on the association (or lack thereof) between low parental 
monitoring and increased risk of sexual abuse?

Thanks.
Ariana Wall



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Ariana E. Wall, MSW, ACSW
Doctoral Student
School of Social Work
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
301 Pittsboro Street, CB #3550
Chapel Hill, NC  27599-3550
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