Reporting of child sexual abuse among professionals

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify reporting of child sexual abuse among professionals. Forty out of one hundred questionnaires were completed and returned. The population for this study consisted of men and women in the following professions: Pediatricians, nurses, preschool workers, teachers, religious workers, and counselors in a southwestern community. A questionnaire was used to obtain demographic data and general information. Included in the questionnaire were eight hypothetical case vignettes of child sexual abuse. The professionals were asked to answer ten questions pertaining to the cases. Results showed that although professionals are aware of reporting laws, they still are not reporting all the cases of child sexual abuse when they suspect abuse. In certain cases, professionals are reluctant to report following a retraction by the child, or when the parents deny the allegation. Religious workers have the least knowledge of reporting laws of the professionals sampled. Overall, pediatricians report more often when they suspect child sexual abuse than the other professionals in the sample.