Working with Adult Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse

115 Pages·1992·2.72 MB·English

by  Elsa Jones

SYSTEMIC THINKING AND PRACTICE SERIES
Edited by David Campbell and Ros Draper
Working with Adult Survivors

of Child Sexual Abuse

ELSA JONES

KARNAC BOOKS
WORKING WITH

ADULT SURVIVORS

OF CHILD SEXUAL

ABUSE
Other titles in the
Systemic Thinking and Practice Series
edited by David Campbell & Ros Draper
published and distributed by Karnac Books
Ben to vim, A. Trauma-Organized Systems. Systemic Understanding of
Family Violence: Physical and Sexual Abuse
Bor, R., & Miller, R. Internal Consultation in Health Care Settings
Campbell, D., Draper, R., & Huffington, C. Second Thoughts on the
Theory and Practice of the Milan Approach to Family Therapy
Campbell, D., Draper, R & Huffington, C. Teaching Systemic Thinking
v
Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. A. The Cybernetics of Prejudices in the
Practice of Psychotherapy
Cecchin, G., Lane, G., & Ray, W. A. Irreverence: A Strategy for Therapists'
Survival
Daniel, G & Burck, C. Gender and Family Therapy
v
Draper, R., Gower, M., & Huffington, C. Teaching Family Therapy
Fruggeri, L., et al. New Systemic Ideas from the Italian Mental Health
Movement
Hoffman, L. Exchanging Voices: A Collaborative Approach to Family
Therapy
Inger, L, & Inger, J. Co-Constructing Therapeutic Conversations: A
Consultation of Restraint
Inger, L, & Inger, J. Creating an Ethical Position in Family Therapy
Mason, B. Handing Over: Developing Consistency across Shifts in
Residential and Health Settings
Ray, W. A., & Keeney, B. P. Resource-Focused Therapy
Smith, G. Systemic Approaches to Training in Child Protection
Work with Organizations
Campbell, D., Coldicott, T., Draper, R., & Kinsella, K. The Systemic
Approach with Organizations
Campbell, D., Draper, R., & Huffington, C. A Systemic Approach to
Consultation
Huffington, C, & Brunning, H. Internal Consultancy in the Public Sector:
Case Studies
McCaughan, N., & Palmer, B. Systems Thinking for Harassed Managers
W O R K I NG W I TH

A D U LT S U R V I V O RS

OF C H I LD S E X U AL

A B U SE

Elsa Jones
Foreword by
Virginia Goldner
Systemic Thinking and Practice Series
Series Editors
David Campbell & Ros Draper
London

K A R N AC BOOKS
First published in 1991 by
H. Karnac (Books) Ltd,
118 Finchley Road,
London NW3 5HT
Third impression 1994.
Copyright © 1991 by Elsa Jones
The rights of Elsa Jones to be identified as author of this work have been
asserted in accordance with §§ 77 and 78 of the Copyright Design and
Patents Act 1988.
ISBN 978 1 85575 017 3
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic, mechanical/ photocopying, recording
or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Printed in Great Britain by BPC Wheatons Ltd, Exeter
CONTENTS
EDITORS' FOREWORD
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION
PART ONE
Setting the context
CHAPTER ONE
Background
1. A systemic perspective / 4

2. "Experts" create problems / 5

3. The work of the Cardiff Family Institute team / 6

a. 6

Working style I
b. / ll
Clients
c. 12

Gender of therapist 1
Vi CONTENTS
CHAPTER TWO
Feminism and family therapy
1. The influence of androcratic culture / 15

2. The influence of gender roles / 16

3. Problems in family therapy / 19

4. In teraction between feminist

and systemic practice / 22

PART TWO
Guidelines
CHAPTER THREE
Hearing the relevant account
CHAPTER FOUR
The question of blame and responsibility
CHAPTER FIVE
The relationship with the abuser
1. The abuser as outsider / 33

2. The abuser as ''significant other" / 34

3. The entitlement not to be abused / 36

4. Living in double reality / 37

5. Seeing the abuser in context / 43

CHAPTER SIX
The relationship with the "protector"
CHAPTER SEVEN
The wider system
1. Family patterns in the past, the presen t,

and the future / 53

a. Identifying patterns from the past 154
b. Identifying patterns in the present 159
c. "Positive negatives" I 62
Approval and "being special" / 62
Secrets and power / 63
Victim status / 65
Timing / 66
d. Changing patterns in the future I 66
2. Socio-cultural patterns in the past, the present,
and the future / 69
PART THREE
Some questions and dilemmas
CHAPTER EIGHT
Dilemmas
1. Personal implications for therapists / 73
2. Common pitfalls / 74
CHAPTER NINE
Questions
1. Is sexual abuse always harmful? / 78
2. Why is sexual abuse being disclosed

more frequently now? / 79

3. Is psychotherapy the most appropriate response to
sexual abuse? / 80
Viii CONTENTS
4. Should adult survivors be encouraged

to disclose abuse? / 81

5. Can all abuse survivors be helped? / 82

6. What is the family? / 82

7. What is a therapist's responsibility

for social change? / 83

NOTES
BIBLIOGRAPHY
INDEX
EDITORS' FORE WORD

I
n 1991 professionals working in the areas of child and adult
health have to face the consequences of society's increasing
awareness of child abuse and to decide if and how they feel
able to work with either the abused or the abusers.
As editors, it seemed to us that there are already many texts
describing the pattern of child abuse and treatment plans to protect
children at risk. Not so much material is available about how to
work with adults who were abused in childhood and have lived
with the pain, confusion, shame, and guilt and the effects of these
emotions on their adult lives and relationships.
We are particularly pleased to publish this book, as not only does
Elsa Jones demonstrate the way in which systemic thinking can pro­
vide a framework for therapy with adult survivors of abuse, but she
also addresses two of the thorniest issues of the field: One, how
does a worker balance the need to explore the individual's private
experience of abuse with the need to understand the meaning of
the abuse in the larger family and social context? Two, how can a
professional take a position against the imbalance of power and
ix