From: noraa@cbnewsk.cb.att.com (aaron.l.hoffmeyer)
Subject: HOW TO HANDLE CHILD ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 07:01:14 GMT

[This is an article intended for psychologists, written by a
psychologist.]

HOW TO HANDLE CHILD ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
By Richard Austin, Ph.D., Houston, Texas

The increase in child sexual abuse allegations is a major trauma for a
child, whether conclusive or not, and a growing problem for Family
Courts throughout the county.

As a clinical psychologist--often court appointed to assess the parties
involved in a custody dispute--sexual abuse allegations are an all too
frequent issue that I must address. For the purpose of this
presentation, I will use Kempe and Kempe's (1978) sexual abuse
definition: "Sexual abuse is defined as involvement of dependent,
developmentally immature children and adolescents in sexual activities
that they do not fully comprehend, to which they are unable to give
informed consent, or that violate the social taboos of family roles."

Two trends--the increase in reported cases of actual child abuse, and
the increase in false sexual abuse allegations--resulted in a
Policy Statement from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry (June 10, 1988) to spell out our evaluation standards. The
statement stresses that the evaluation should be thoroughly performed
under the direction of an experienced child psychiatrist or
psychologist, who should be comfortable testifying in court.

Certainly, awareness of sexual abuse has improved in the last ten
years, and children know more about it. The National Committee for
Prevention of Child abuse has published a "Spiderman" and "Power Pack"
comic strip to inform children and adolescents what sexual abuse is,
and how to report it to the authorities. Although increased protection
for victims has been a result, an increase in "victims" by false
allegations has also taken place. For example, five-year-old twin girls
were taken out of their home when their preschool teacher reported that
they stated that their father touched them in the "wrong places". While
still out of their home, they admitted to a psychologist that the story
was made up. They apparently were given extra attention for their
"abuse" remarks.

Many parents, camp counselors, and even mental health experts are
becoming defensive about contacts with children as allegations of
sexual abuse increase. In the September, 1991, _Psychotherapy Today_
journal, Albert Kastle, Ph.D., states that allegations, especially
false allegations have increased dramatically. Kastle and Podler,
studying 25 cases, identified several factors that make up a profile of
families that make false allegations. Some of them are:  

1. Families have made previous unsubstantiated accusations of sexual
   abuse of their children

2. Families where one or both of the parents have been victims of child
   sexual abuse themselves

3. Parents with an extensive history of mental illness

4. Families in the process of breaking up

5. Families involved in the occult

Although most women retain custody of children after a divorce, almost
50% of the men nationwide that attempt custody through the courts win
it. (This information is based on estimates from my clinical
experience, Harris County, Texas and from numerous articles that I have
read). This may help explain the high incidence of false allegations of
sexual abuse during court litigation for custody and/or visitation. Dr.
Arthur Green in an article, "True or False Allegations of Sexual Abuse
in Child Custody Disputes:" (J. American Academy of Child Psychiatry,
25, 1986), estimated from studies that 55% of all the allegations are
false.  Green's summary, which I find helpful, lists characteristics of
True vs. False abuse. These include a delayed, reticent, or conflicted
disclosure with true cases, while the child's disclosure is easy and
spontaneous with false cases; like the "rehearsed litany" on Richard
Gardners' Sexual Abuse Legitimacy Scale. A true disclosure by the child
is usually painful, and depressing, while a false disclosure has an
absence of negative emotions. The child uses age appropriate sexual
terms with true cases, while adult language is often used by children
in false cases. In true cases the child is often fearful in the
father's presence, while with false accusations the child will often
angrily confront the father in the mother's presence. Falsely accusing
parents (usually the mother) often have prominent paranoid and
hysterical symptoms.

Research by several authors discusses valuable indications in the
assessment of child sexual abuse allegations. However, caution is
recommended here, as many cases include both indications that the abuse
is and is not true. The following is a guideline to be used in the
context of a professional assessment of the accuser, the alleged
perpetrator, and the victim.

INDICATORS OF TRUE ABUSE

1. The child has trouble talking about the abuse.

2. The child changes his (her) story.

3. The child is depressed or anxious while disclosing.

4. The child has trouble confronting the accuser.

5. The child describes the sexual activity in age appropriate ways.

6. The child gives specific, appropriate details of the sexual activities.

7. The child indicates that the intensity of sexual activity grew over time.

8. The accusing parent is ambivalent about the child's involvement in
   the proceedings.

9. The accusing parent has remorse about not protecting the child.

INDICATORS OF FALSE ABUSE

1. The child's disclosure is made easily without emotions

2. The child uses adult sexual language without giving specific details

3. The child easily confronts the perpetrator

4. The child is comfortable with the accused

5. The child appears prompted by the accusing parent

6. The child indicates that intense sexual activity began at once

7. The parents are in a custody dispute, or have severe martial discord

8. The accusing parent is eager for the child to testify

9. The accusing parent gives vague answers about the development of
   abuse suspicions

10. An accusing child who is older appears to be seeking revenge
    against the accused parent

EVALUATION STEPS

The following steps are useful to assess the validity of a sexual abuse
claim.

1. A clinical history of the alleged sexual abuse

2. A medical examination by a specialist experienced with sexual abuse
   issues

3. A clinical assessment of the complaining parent and the accused
   parent, to include interviews, observations, personality test, and a
   family history which includes a relationship and sexual history

4. An examination of the child, which includes observations,
   interviews, projective tests or stories, drawings, and sometimes,
   the use of dolls, both with and without anatomical sexual features

5. The use of relevant collateral information; such as housekeepers,
   other relatives, or even siblings that know the alleged victim.  Of
   course, the age of the child is important. A very young child has
   limited ability to verbalize sexual abuse, while with older
   children, the verbalization of their feelings about any abuse
   actions is an important indicator.

6. THE SEXUAL ABUSE LEGITIMACY SCALE (SAL) by Richard A. Gardner, M.D.,
   is used as another tool to tell the differences between bonafide and
   fabricated sexual abuse. Based on five years of research, the scale
   has a significant empirical base to weigh each criteria to arrive at
   a score for the child, the accuser, and the accused that is either
   more likely to be bonafide sexual abuse, or more likely to be
   inconclusive.

I have personally found the scale to be very helpful, and an excellent
way to check out the sources of assessment. Of particular interest is
the accusing parent's attitude to get revenge, or any evidence of
persuasion to have the child "keep the secret," is valuable as an
indicator of real abuse. However, many symptoms of sexual abuse by the
child, such as episodes of frequent sexual excitation, can be
misinterpreted by those unfamiliar with the developmental stages in
child development.

The times are difficult for children, for their families, and also for
the courts and society. As mental health experts work together with
attorneys and the Family Courts, which they must do in sexual abuse
allegations, the teamwork created by this cooperation with such a
serious issue can work together for the good of the children in other
areas.

[While this article attempts to shed light on this topic, it still
includes some "advice" that has been debunked and refuted at length.

Families involved in the occult is one "myth."   While there are
definitely some strange people out there practicing some bizarre
rituals, there has been NO definitive evidence ever presented of cults
sacrificing and/or sexually abusing children.  The psychology profession
has done little to dispel this myth, and as is evidenced above, still
buys into it.  

The use of dolls, anatomically correct or otherwise, in evaluating
children who have allegedly been abused, has been refuted with numerous
scientifically controlled studies.  Abused children and non-abused
children play with the dolls in EXACTLY the same manner.  The dolls
prove nothing, but often convince uninformed evaluators that "something"
must have happened--after all, no child would play with the oversized
genitalia on a Raggedy Andy doll, right?

The 55% false rate of allegations was probably from a study involving
both children of battling, divorcing parents and those of intact
families.  The rates quoted for false allegations arising during divorce
custody and visitation disputes are much higher.  The conviction rate
for all child sexual abuse is low--less than 15% and in divorce cases,
even lower.

Still, the above article has merits.  If anything, it tells us what the
psychology profession is now thinking about such allegations and what
kinds of tools they are using in making their assessments.  They know
that many allegations are false, and they are looking for signs of
false allegations.]

Aaron L. Hoffmeyer
TR@CBNEA.ATT.COM 
Newsgroups: alt.dads-rights,alt.child-support,soc.men