The roles of victim symptomology, victim resistance and respondent gender on perceptions of a hypothetical child sexual abuse case
| Date | 04 February 2014 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-08-2012-0004 |
| Published date | 04 February 2014 |
| Pages | 18-31 |
| Author | Paul Rogers,Michelle Lowe,Matthew Boardman |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice |
The roles of victim symptomology, victim
resistance and respondent gender on
perceptions of a hypothetical child
sexual abuse case
Paul Rogers, Michelle Lowe and Matthew Boardman
Dr Paul Rogers and Dr Michelle
Lowe are Senior Lecturers,
based at School of Psychology,
University of Central
Lancashire, Preston, UK.
Matthew Boardman is a
Trainee Clinical Psycologist at
the University of East London,
London, UK.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact victim symptomology, victim resistance
and respondent gender have on attributions of blame, credibility and perceived assault severity in a
hypothetical child sexual abuse case.
Design/methodology/approach – In total, 356 respondents read a hypothetical child sexual abuse
scenario in which victim symptomology (negative vs none vs positive) and victim resistance (resistant vs
non-resistant) were manipulated before completing six childhood sexual abuse (CSA) attribution items.
The impact these manipulations plus respondent gender differences had on attributions ratings was
explored via a series of AN(C)OVA.
Findings – Overall, respondents judged the victim more truthful if she displayed negative – as opposed to
either no or positive (i.e. life affirming) – symptomology and a resistant victim to be more truthful than one
who offered no resistance. Finally, men deemed a 14-year-old female victim of sexual assault less reliable
and more culpable for her own abuse than women. Men were particularly mistrustful of the girl if she was
non-resistant and later failed to display negative, post-abuse symptomology.
Practical implications – Findings highlight the need for greater awareness of the fact that not all CSA
survivors display stereotypically negative post-abuse symptoms. The current study also extends knowledge
of the role victim resistant and respondent gender play in this growing research field.
Originality/value – The current study is the first to explore attributions of CSA blame and credibility across
negative (i.e. typical) verses no or positive/life affirming (i.e. atypical) post-abuse symptomology.
Keywords Gender, Resistance, Attributions, Blame, Child sex abuse,Symptoms
Paper type Research paper
Numerous studies have explored the relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and
adult psychopathology with CSA found to be a risk factor in – although not necessarily a cause
of – depression (Maniglio, 2010), suicide ideation (e.g. Andover et al., 2007), post-traumatic
stress disorder (e.g. Ginzburg et al., 2005), relationship problems (e.g. Kim et al., 2009), sexual
revictimisation (e.g. Noll et al., 2003) and poorer coping (e.g. Lee et al., 2008) in adulthood
(see also Fergusson and Mullen, 1999). Negative post-CSA symptomology is further
exacerbated by a victim being blamed for her (or his) own abuse by family, others or indeed her/
himself (e.g. Filipas and Ullman, 2006). Thisunderstandably pessimistic view of CSAis reinforced by
media emphasis on only the most extreme cases of sexual abuse against children (Collings, 2002).
The common assumption that CSA necessarily leads to psychological dysfunction may,
however, be misleading. Fergusson and Mullen (1999) reported that “a substantial minority
[which they estimate to be between 21-49%] of children known to have been exposed to CSA
PAGE 18
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JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
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VOL. 16 NO. 1 2014, pp. 18-31, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794 DOI 10.1108/JFP-08-2012-0004
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