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siveness of studies conducted on children and the expertise of those conducting them
vary. When possible abuse is then dealt with in court in connection with child custody
disputes, the threshold in the presentation of evidence is often high and it is possible that
the risk of child sexual abuse is actually belittled.
The analysed case documents demonstrate that the attitudes of professionals in social
services and health care and judges vary between two standpoints that deviate from
each other. From the “criticism of suspicion” point of view, suspicion of sexual abuse
raised in child custody disputes can be suspected to be fabricated to serve a purpose. At
the same time it might be emphasized how just a suspicion already hurts the accused
parent and burdens the allegedly victimized child. From this point of view, the presented
evidence of child sexual abuse is interpreted extremely scrupulously and called
into question. When the situation is looked at from the ”concern for the child” perspective,
it is emphasized that sexual abuse of children endangers and erodes seriously their
possibilities to a safe life and balanced development. In this line of thinking, what is
considered essential is careful examination of allegations and protection of the child if
sexual abuse seems probable or possible.
As professional helpers and authorities detect suspicions of sexual abuse in child
custody disputes, these interpretation methods are immediately present. The “criticism
of suspicion” and “concern for the child” perspectives are not directly divided according
to occupational groups but are manifested in the views of social workers, child psychiatrists
and judges. Sometimes professional differences can be detected; social workers,
psychologists and child psychiatrists in their line of work underline the concern for the
child and the judges in their interpretations criticism over suspicions of sexual abuse.
When dealing with suspicions of child sexual abuse is compared to encountering
physical violence against children and intimate partner violence in the different phases
of child custody disputes, similarities can be found in them. Both sexual abuse and
physical violence have to be proven to have an impact on decisions over child custody
disputes. On the other hand, these are matters requiring evidence that is difficult to get
and that varies in quality. Another significant combining factor is that maintaining the
child’s relationship with the parent proven guilty of violence/sexual abuse is considered
important despite the problems, and visits are allowed to be continued. Instead of being
terminated, they are typically ordered to take place under supervision. Third, what is in
common to the assessment of abuse and physical violence is the use of very careful and
vague language. In fact, the words in assessments and conclusions concerning child
sexual abuse are even more carefully chosen than in those concerning use of violence.
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