Organizing a therapeutic approach to intra-familial child sexual abuse

Dealing with child sexual abuse and incest still provokes strong reactions amongst professionals. This is due partly to the emotive nature of the problem itself and partly to the lack of knowledge and skill amongst professionals to deal with the issue. In addition the lack of treatment facilities as well as the lack of commonly acknowledged approaches towards child sexual abuse adds to the tendency to avoid dealing with the problem or to deal with it in a punitive manner. First data show that child sexual abuse is much more common than is acknowledged at present (Baker, 1983; Bentovim and Okell Jones, 1984). It also emerges that it is mainly a problem in the family context (Baker, 1983; Furniss 1983~; Furniss, Bingley-Miller and Bentovim, 1984). The abuse often continues for many years. Since 1978 a therapeutic approach has been developed by the author and colleagues which is described in its different aspects elsewhere (Furniss, 1983a, b, c, 1984; Furniss and Miller, 1984; Furniss et al., 1984). This paper outlines the minimal steps to be taken by any professional to organize and to use a statutory intervention into families with child sexual abuse and incest for therapeutic purpose.

Family meeting or seeing individual ?

The family meeting

Obstacles and work with subgroups

Work with parents

The child away from home

Helping mothers

Helping fathers

Tasks for professionals

Agression sexuelle intrafamiliale, Victime mineure, Psychothérapie, Inceste, Méthode, Psychothérapie familiale, Pratique professionnelle