In a recently published essay in the New Yorker Magazine, famed author Junot Díaz described his experience of being sexually abused as a child. The aftermath of his childhood rape by someone close to his family lead to a promiscuous life, with troubled relationships, chronic depression, sexual dysfunction and suicidal ideation (Díaz, 2018). Yes, he is a world-known figure, nevertheless, Junot Díaz is not immune to the terrible consequences of child sexual abuse (CSA).
According to the child abuse accommodation syndrome, there are five stages which a victim will go through: (1) secrecy, (2) helplessness, (3) entrapment and accommodation, (4) delayed, unconvincing disclosure, and (5) retraction (Summit, 1983). Stevelos (2018) argues that Díaz’s case is the prototypical progression for many victims of CSA. Díaz followed through by keeping the secret, feeling powerless, accommodating by denying the fact, whispering to friends and family about the damaging event, and finally, retracting his account by being open about the consequences of his childhood trauma: “It fucked up my childhood. It fucked up my adolescence. It fucked up my whole life” …show more content…
Our goal is to survey the problem from multiple and interwoven angles. Particularly, this research focuses on the accused than in the victims. Because this is a preventive study, the main goal is to know why some priests sexually abuse children. Namely, what is their intent and justifications to do so? Are there any major reinforcer(s) making this type of behaviors spread? In other words, our goal is to examine closely the intersection between perpetrators and the disorder. In the clinical setting, there is a wealth of research on the sequela caused by child sexual abuse. For that reason, this project is more interested in researching alleged
According to the child abuse accommodation syndrome, there are five stages which a victim will go through: (1) secrecy, (2) helplessness, (3) entrapment and accommodation, (4) delayed, unconvincing disclosure, and (5) retraction (Summit, 1983). Stevelos (2018) argues that Díaz’s case is the prototypical progression for many victims of CSA. Díaz followed through by keeping the secret, feeling powerless, accommodating by denying the fact, whispering to friends and family about the damaging event, and finally, retracting his account by being open about the consequences of his childhood trauma: “It fucked up my childhood. It fucked up my adolescence. It fucked up my whole life” …show more content…
Our goal is to survey the problem from multiple and interwoven angles. Particularly, this research focuses on the accused than in the victims. Because this is a preventive study, the main goal is to know why some priests sexually abuse children. Namely, what is their intent and justifications to do so? Are there any major reinforcer(s) making this type of behaviors spread? In other words, our goal is to examine closely the intersection between perpetrators and the disorder. In the clinical setting, there is a wealth of research on the sequela caused by child sexual abuse. For that reason, this project is more interested in researching alleged