Sexual Abuse, Professional Boundaries, and the Rural World

• Published in: Journal of child sexual abuse Vol. 8; no. 3; pp. 85 - 93
• Main Author: Anderson, Donna M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Binghamton Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.1999; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Boundaries; Boundary Maintenance; Child abuse & neglect; Child psychology; Child sexual abuse; Child Welfare Services; Client Relations; communication; Counselor Client Relationship; Counselor Role; Counselors; Families; Family Roles; Identification (Psychology); Incest; Interdisciplinary Approach; multidisciplinary; Professional people; Psychological Distress; Role Conflict; Role models; roles; Rural areas; Rural Communities; Self Disclosure (Individuals); Sex crimes; Sexual Abuse; systems; Teaching; Therapists; trauma; USA; Victimization; Victims of Crime
• ISSN: 1053-8712; 1547-0679
• DOI: 10.1300/J070v08n03_05

Blurred boundaries and confused roles are underlying characteristics of sexual abuse in incestuous families and family-like systems. When the professionals responding to sexual abuse disclosures exhibit a parallel process of role confusion, inadequate communication, secrecy and denial, the victims and their families are further traumatized. The nature of rural communities has attributes that may contribute to these factors. Creating an effective multidisciplinary professional team, with a protocol that clearly defines roles and ensures that ongoing team meetings occur to keep communication open and boundaries clear, is essential to prevent incestuous families and others from being further victimized by the professional system.