Child victims of sexual abuse : a comparison of treatment methods

This paper explores the treatment methods used in counseling child victims of sexual abuse. It will examine the effectiveness of treatment methods along three dimensions. These dimensions are: (1) the rate at which the families of the victims were able to remain intact, (2) the rate of recidivism of sexual abuse of the victims by the perpetrators, and (3) the degree to which self-destructive behavior of the victims was controlled or reduced.

The methodology used to explore these areas is two-fold. First, previous publications were researched to determine the need for treatment by child sexual abuse victims and the types of treatment methods presently being used by therapists. Second, a survey concerning treatment methods and statistical data demonstrating the effectiveness of the methods was sent to 19 sexual abuse treatment centers in the United States.

A review of previous research revealed that the majority of clinicians and researchers believe that child sex abuse victims are in need of treatment. Those children who are victims of sexual abuse by family members or close family acquaintances, especially surrogate parents, tend to be in need of long-term therapy, frequently psychotherapy or casework therapy. Those children, who are victims of sexual abuse by a stranger, usually can be treated with crisis intervention therapy. Further review revealed that most clinicians treat the victim as part of the family instead of a separate and distinct client or patient.

With the exception of Henry Giarretto's Child Sexual Abuse Treatment Program, there is a dearth of statistical data concerning the effectiveness of the treatment methods used by therapists. This lack of statistical data was evident also in the examination of the treatment centers which responded to this author's request for program information. This lack of statistical data resulted in a very limited

comparison of the treatment methods.