Discusses child sexual abuse by a person in a position of authority. Tracks the recent trend toward recognizing position of authority in both state legislation and judicial precedent. Concludes that all states should recognize position of authority in their child abuse statutes and that such statutes should be interpreted broadly by the courts.…

This review article is structured around a brief historical overview of the diagnostic classification of atypical sexual behavior, descriptions of the types of atypical sexual behavior that receive clinical attention, an overview of models that have been proposed to explain the development of atypical sexual behavior, and finally a summary of the…

Critically examines the assumptions underlying "False Memory Syndrome" to determine whether there is sufficient empirical evidence to support it as a valid diagnostic construct. A review of the relevant literature demonstrates that the existence of such a syndrome lacks general acceptance in the mental health field, and that the…

Describes a seemingly sophisticated, but mostly contrived and often erroneous "false memory" defense, and compares it in a brief review to what the science says about the effect of trauma on memory. Each of 22 of the more commonly used components of this defense is described and discussed with respect to what the science says about them.…

Addresses representations made by pro-false memory attorneys and expert witnesses in court regarding the long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse. Examining the testimony revealed that such pro-false memory testimony was based on a partial understanding of retrospective data. Reviewing the totality of the scientific evidence demonstrates that…

Attempts to define the role of "expert" in child sexual abuse proceedings as making decisions in the child's best interest (despite moral panic) and ensuring that there is sufficient evidence of actual sexual abuse to support the drastic remedy of removing the child from his or her home. (JPS)

The authors of the "moral panic" article did not deal with issues of civil liberties and family privacy. What has been referred to as "backlash" is a matter of the expectation of privacy being violated without due process; additionally, since men therapists as well as women therapists are scapegoated in child protection cases, their feminist…

Discusses work with thousands of siblings, parents, therapists, survivors, and retractors concerning sexual abuse reported by individuals with false memory syndrome. States that mind-altering techniques that help to create confabulations have been unleashed on an unwary public. In the hands of some therapists, these techniques create false…

Complex issues are involved in the controversy about memories of childhood sexual abuse. Questions of childhood trauma, traumatic memory, the memory process, clinical issues, and forensic implications are reviewed. This article is condensed and modified from a more comprehensive document prepared by and available from the International Society for…

Objective: This article reviews the literature concerning the impact of exposure to domestic violence on the health and developmental well-being of children and young people. Impact is explored across four separate yet inter-related domains (domestic violence exposure and child abuse; impact on parental capacity; impact on child and adolescent…

The literature on clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse suggests that there are two modal populations of survivors: boys and adult women. We review what is known about trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder following sexual abuse and explore the different treatment needs for these two survivor groups. For children, clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse can…

Recent research and Canadian government committee reports concerning juvenile prostitution are reviewed. Proposals are made in the realms of law and social policy; and existing programs are described. (DB)

Explores the prevalence of multiple abusers and polyincest in a clinical sample of 88 adult women. Results suggest the need for further research on the frequency of multiple abusers among victims of sexual abuse, as well as the ways in which family and social contexts serve as collusive environments for the practice of CSA. (Contains 24 references…

Surveys an adult female sample of childhood sexual abuse survivors to determine if hardiness was effective in moderating the negative effects of perceived trauma and severity of the sexual abuse and internalized shame on relationship intimacy. Results indicate that perception and severity of abuse, and shame were significantly and negatively…

The Campus Sex Crimes Prevention Act requires that states inform institutions of higher education when a registered sex offender enrolls or is employed at the institution. This article reviews the history and requirements of the act and explores issues that this new law will raise for student affairs professionals. (Contains 17 references.) (GCP)