"Childhood is almost invisible" and many of the problems that girls and boys suffer are completely invisible, as is the case with some types of abuse. The emotional and sexual abuse (ASI) they are frequently ignored by an adult-centered society. If we talk about ASIs, it is known from different studies in Spain (Félix López / Ministry of Social Affairs 1994), Europe, the United States and Canada, that percentages ranging between 20/25% for girls and 10/15 percent for boys, may suffer sexual abuse before they come of age.
In addition to this, 80% of the cases will be perpetrated by a person close to the minor (or the minor): relatives, teachers, neighbors, monitors, friends of the mother or father, etc. Unfortunately, the numbers of the victims do not change over time, although we are all scandalized when we hear a news item on the news, or read it in the newspaper to which we subscribe. And the victims suffer the consequences of an environment that can deny the facts, simplify them or diminish their importance; and from a society that is not prepared to accept that yes, a father can abuse his daughter, and yes, a teacher can abuse a student.
Not to mention the double or triple victimization that one suffers (we will talk about it below). And no, all the adults around girls and boys are monsters, but we forget that it is a possibility (near or far), and when it happens we can blame those mood swings, that refusal to see this or that person, that enuresis that occurs at age 10 ... to anything less than a suspicion that haunts our heads but our brain hides due to the fears coming from the education received.
Now I am going to tell you the case of a girl of only 9 years old who has been reporting being a victim of abuse for 2 years, the aggressor being her father. The expert who examined her believed that the little girl was fantasizing and closed the case. After the passage of time, disputes (and more) between the parents who are separated and the occasional physical proof that what was said was true, María (invented name) wanted to prove the veracity of her words.
(Real) Childhood Protection versus Double Victimization.
To demonstrate this, a tape recorder was chosen on the sock, and it recorded several hours of conversation with the father and grandparents. In the talk, the parent insists that it was just a game, the grandfather tries to divert interest, and the grandmother drains the package and ends the discussion. But the little girl insisted that her body is hers and no one has the right to touch it. She also told a psychologist expert in her day that "her father touched her under her panties", and the professional reported that the narration "lacked logical structure and details"; really? Do we want a 7-year-old girl to show public speaking skills to be believed?
A detail that deserves my attention is that the mother, when reviewing the video of the examination, observes interruptions in the examination and overwhelming insistence on the little girl; frankly, I doubt that under these conditions conclusions can be drawn that dignify the minor. Here is a video that recounts the victimization to which they are subjected, and a situation similar to that reported by the mother.
Often there are no physical tests, but there are indicators, and specialists who examine child victims should focus on them. The worst (if possible) is to read comments on the news on which I am based, as it alludes to an alleged manipulation of the mother on the girl, based on a Parental Alignment Syndrome, a controversial and debated syndrome, so much so that today I am not going to get involved. For my part, point out that:
- A child can lie or have a lot of fantasy, but almost never about child sexual abuse: they do not invent what they have not experienced. Let's see if it gets into our heads that the child's brain works like that of adults.
- To assess a case of this type, one must be very well prepared and trained, not all social workers, educators, psychologists, judges, etc. know how to detect ASI! What are the administrations waiting for to train them? A good expertise can rule out sexual abuse, I insist: a GOOD expertise. The percentage of false reports is estimated to be between 2 and 8%. It seems to me that the rest is a large enough amount for us to pay attention.
Girls, sexual abuse and double victimization.
Four out of every five victims are girls, and in addition to the harassment of the abuse, they suffer shame, fear and attempts at concealment by the aggressor. A lost innocence, snatched rather, by someone who in principle is attributed the obligation to love and protect. Very few victims tell it, and I am not surprised, because apart from the emotions generated, the little ones are forced to keep quiet in a kind of pact of silence decided unilaterally by whoever has caressed, touched, forced to watch porn, etc.
When the abuse 'comes to light' the second part of the nightmare begins: they are not believed, there is no correct treatment by the institutions, they are treated as adults, they have to repeat the story several times in a row to people who do not they are always friendly, And we still want them to remember what happened, to be calm, and not to hesitate when explaining!
Who protects children?
It is usual that in cases in which the parents are separated or divorced, there is someone who accuses one of the parties of inducing a Parental Alignment Syndrome. This theory was developed by a psychiatrist named Gardner, and came to refer to 'brainwashing' in cases of litigation for guardianship of the minor. As I have mentioned, this syndrome has been questioned and doubted many times, in any case it would be very poor for the final professional (after several) who decides to rely only on a SAP and not on a thorough examination of the victim.
I believe that girls and boys are the most precious thing that this society has; in my opinion that a child should resort to a recording so that they believe that a relative is touching it is very, very serious. The interventionism that seeks to protect is necessary, the spiral of abuse of power in the form of interviews, threatening questions and without support for the victim, it is already known that it protects the aggressor more than the victim. Each one of you get your own conclusions.
Via - Cadena Ser
Picture - Tamra McCauley