Comments on the article by Robert Bornstein, "The complex relationship between dependency and domestic violence: Converging psychological factors and social forces." Although a more focused examination of the psychological factors involved in domestic violence is welcome, there are some factual errors in Bornstein's article that need attention and…

Sexual abuse of children has been recognized as a major problem. Attempts have been made to elicit descriptions of the abuse of children. A variety of interview methods for obtaining descriptions have been used. Methods of interviewing depend on the age of the child, the purpose of the interview, and the training and philosophy of the interviewer.…

Presents an argument for the possibility of faulty memory in perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse as an additional component in a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between sexual trauma and memory loss. Discusses motivations perpetrators may have for repressing memories, the most prominent being their own sexual abuse as children.…

Criticizes the laws and enforcement personnel involved in child abuse cases pointing out problems encountered by those falsely accused of child abuse. (MD)

Designed to aid those investigating reports of incest, the model presented in this article provides guidelines on how to protect the victim while allowing her to remain in her parents' home, prepare the family for treatment, and motivate family members to continue treatment until they are ready for discharge. (Author/MP)

Explores the concept of voice by turning to disclosure discourse about sexual abuse. Argues that sexually abused children are strategic and logical in the way they regulate access to this private information. Notes that the children locate their voice of logic in their selection of confidants. States that researchers can position themselves as…

Argues that incorporating the use of poetry writing into the clinical treatment of survivors of sexual abuse can be beneficial. Uses examples of such poetry to show how the creative writing of survivors reveals repressed information about their abuses, self-concepts, and about their basic beliefs in the areas of safety, trust, power, intimacy, and…

Comparison of the histories of 59 mothers of children (mean age 13 months) referred for nonorganic failure to thrive (NOFTT) and 131 mothers of children with normal growth found a surprising 80% of NOFTT mothers reported they were victims of abuse as children. The need for treatment of the mother-child dyad is stressed. (Author/DB)

This editorial discusses two studies in this journal issue that explore mediating functions of coping strategies and social support in long-term outcomes of child abuse and neglect. It is argued that these studies provide empirical evidence of interest to social workers and mental health practitioners by identifying specific factors and strategies…

Many behavioral characteristics found in the terrorist/hostage literature appear to have a parallel in the behavior of the abuser, including personality characteristics, circumstances around the violence, beliefs held, and similar defensive behavior adopted by the hostage and the abused child. These parallels indicate the need for different…

This paper reviews the literature on the sexual victimization of adolescent males, with emphasis on victim selection factors and strategies. A letter written by a middle-aged man to entice a teenage boy into sexual activity is then presented and analyzed. (DB)

This commentary notes that solid empirical evidence on the effectiveness of classroom-based child sexual abuse prevention programs is lacking. Prevention efforts need to target potential victims, potential perpetrators, and those aspects of the social fabric that nurture abusive behaviors; and the merits of prevention efforts must be discussed…

This analysis of psychological and cultural issues faced by professionals in child abuse dealing with children exposed to war zones stresses the importance of recognizing that the "war" is so powerfully loaded in subjective and ideological meanings for all adults that self-reflection and cultural criticism is a necessary condition of dealing…

Jennifer Freyd's (2003) comment on Goodman et al. (2003) makes at least two essential observations: First, that Goodman's characterization of their findings as not supporting the position that CSA is "commonly" repressed or forgotten by the victim is curious. Second, that Goodman et al. understate the limited value of their study in that a…

Object relations theory offers the most viable explanation of the dynamics of sexually abused individuals by allowing for the conceptualization of an individual, whose earlier object relations left him barren, lonely, or neglected, as having a predisposition or vulnerability to abuse. Children with adequate nurturing experiences react negatively…