Considering Family Reconnection and Reunification after Child Sexual Abuse

Reactive behaviors
Nearly all children have some reaction
to their experience of being sexually
abused, sometimes immediately, and
sometimes years later. It is important
to stress that most children who are
sexually abused do not react by going
on to sexually abuse others, (ATSA,
2014) a fact that is in sharp contrast
to incorrect “common wisdom”
about “cycles of abuse.” Especially
for males, the inaccurate but widely
held fear that boys who were sexually
abused will be seen as doomed to
become abusive poses a serious
barrier to seeking help.
That said, research also shows that
a significant majority of children and
adolescents who do engage in sexually
abusive behavior with another child
were themselves physically, sexually, or
emotionally abused and/or neglected.
(ATSA, 2014; Prentky, Harris, Frizzell,
& Righthand, 2000). Not surprisingly,
trauma of any kind heightens a
child’s risk for reactions that may
harm others. But a risk is in no way a
likelihood of behaving abusively.
For professionals working with
children and adolescents, there are
special considerations for treatment,
for their families, community, and
school, as well as the juvenile courts.
In treatment, the recommended
research-based approach emphasizes
the strengths of the adolescent or
child as well as the strengths and
challenges within the family, while
addressing the specific skills and
safety controls needed to maintain a
safe environment for the child who
was harmed and for the youth who
abused (Prescott, 2006). As such,
treatment will vary based on the age
or developmental stage of the child
or adolescent who sexually offended.
(See special considerations for
children and teens who offend.)
Families often need to be reminded
that a child or teen that has
sexually abused and completes a
developmentally appropriate treatment
program will, in nearly all cases, learn
to live a healthy and productive life
(Alexander, 1999; Caldwell, 2002).
For parents where both the child who
was abused and the child who was
abusive are in the same family, the
issues of clarification and reunification
are much more complicated. These
parents may also have a strong desire
to keep all members of their family
together, which increases the pressure
to consider family reunification
(Harper, 2012).
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