Mental health services and sexual abuse: the need for staff training

Journal of Trauma & Dissociation : the Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD)
John ReadDavid R Thomas

Abstract

Identification of child abuse by mental health services is important for formulation of the causes of presenting problems and for development of comprehensive treatment plans. A small but growing number of studies suggest, however, that the majority of child sexual abuse cases are not identified by mental health services. A similarly small literature also suggests that abuse survivors are extremely reluctant to spontaneously tell anyone about the abuse, indicating that professionals have a responsibility to ask rather than wait for spontaneous disclosures. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to add to these two bodies of literature with a New Zealand sample. A postal questionnaire was completed by 191 women who had received counselling for childhood sexual abuse. The average amount of time taken to tell anyone about the abuse was 16 years. Only 22% of those who had been in contact with public mental health services had ever been asked about abuse by those services. It was concluded that New Zealand women are reluctant to disclose abuse and that mental health services are, as is the case elsewhere, failing to assist them with this process. The need for staff training is discussed, and an example described.

Citations

Feb 25, 2014·Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology·Jamie MurphyGary Adamson
Aug 16, 2008·Schizophrenia Bulletin·Richard P Bentall, Charles Fernyhough
May 13, 2009·BMC Public Health·Diego G BassaniBeatriz C W Raymann
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Aug 9, 2013·Journal of Child Sexual Abuse·Kim McGregorShirley Jülich
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Oct 26, 2016·International Journal of Mental Health Nursing·Maria Sampson, John Read
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Jan 25, 2020·Journal of Trauma & Dissociation : the Official Journal of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation (ISSD)·Maayan NagarDrew Westen
May 31, 2019·Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy·Annett LotzinIngo Schäfer
Aug 18, 2017·International Journal of Mental Health Nursing·John ReadAngela Kennedy

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