"I felt like I was thrown into a deep well": Educators coping with child sexual abuse disclosure. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tener, Dafna; Sigad, Laura
• Is Part Of: Children and youth services review. Volume 106(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: Child sexual abuse (CSA) -- CSA disclosure -- CSA interventions -- Educators' experiences; Social work with children -- Periodicals; Social work with youth -- Periodicals; Adolescent -- Periodicals; Child Welfare -- Periodicals; Social Work -- Periodicals; Service social aux enfants -- Périodiques; Service social à la jeunesse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2019.104465
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0190-7409

Abstract

Abstract: Children's educators are on the front line of child sexual abuse (CSA). By confronting cases in their everyday work in the school, they hold the potential to be agents of social change – to promote detection, disclosure and intervention. However, research on the experience of such educators contending with CSA is limited both conceptually and methodologically. The purpose of the present study was to describe and analyze the experiences of Israeli educators coping with CSA disclosure. The following research questions were explored: (1) How is CSA disclosure perceived and experienced by children's educators in their daily work? (2) How does CSA disclosure affect these educators in their professional and personal lives? The findings are based on semi-structured interviews conducted with 20 children's educators. Results indicate that their core experience is loneliness when facing the victim, when confronting his or her parents, when facing authority figures inside and outside of school, and when dealing with the effect on their personal lives. In coping with this loneliness, educators adopt three main styles: "lone rider" (self-coping); "layperson" (experiencing themselves as lacking the ability and knowledge to cope); and "buck-passer" (rapid shifting of responsibility). Implications for future research, policy, and practice are discussed. Highlights: Loneliness is the core experience of Israeli educators in coping with child sexual abuse disclosure Loneliness is experienced while: facing victims; confronting parents, in school settings and in their personal lives. In order to cope with loneliness educators, adopt three main techniques: "lonely rider"; the "layman"; and "moving it forward". Multi-level sources of support are needed for educators both to support their students and for their own wellbeing.