The process of victimization: The victims' perspective

Child Abuse & NeglectPublished 1 January 1990

Lucy Berliner, Jon R. Conte

DOI10.1016/0145-2134(90)90078-8

Source URL

Citations232

SJR quartileQ1

SJR score1.50

SNIP1.56

TL;DR

Results suggest that the victimization process involves three overlapping processes: sexualization of the relationship, justification of the sexual contact, and maintenance of the child's cooperation.

Abstract

Twenty-three child victims (aged 10-18 years) of childhood sexual abuse were interviewed about the victimization process, the person who abused them, and how abuse might have been prevented. Specific questions obtained information about the quality of the relationship between victim and offender, the offender's pre-abuse behavior, the explanation for the behavior given by the offender, and the child's understanding of the behavior. Results suggest that the victimization process involves three overlapping processes: sexualization of the relationship, justification of the sexual contact, and maintenance of the child's cooperation.

Keywords

PsychologySocial Sciences

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