Study: Deficits in youth welfare offices when dealing with child sexual abuse
The commission analyzed reports from victims of sexual abuse and relatives as well as youth welfare office files. The study is based on 268 cases. In-depth interviews were also conducted with experts.
"On the one hand, we have descriptions of good professional practice and positive courses of help that encourage and strengthen because children were freed from the violent situation," explained Barbara Kavemann, member of the Commission. On the other hand, "clear deficits became clear from which lessons urgently need to be learned".
Youth welfare offices are called upon to develop a protection concept after sexual violence in individual cases and to involve the children and young people in this. The descriptions therefore point to inconsistent practice. The commission therefore considers it sensible to enshrine the development of individual protection concepts in law.
"Children and young people cannot protect themselves against sexualized violence," warned Kavemann. Doing this is a central task of youth welfare offices. "If this is not successful, those affected are sometimes exposed to the violent situation for years, with far-reaching consequences for their lives."
According to the study, youth welfare office staff did not always succeed in building trust with those affected, for example because there was no protected setting or time for discussions. In addition, for many of those affected, the youth welfare office was initially associated with fear, for example because perpetrators created a threatening backdrop and warned children that they would be sent to a home if they turned to the authorities.
According to the study, the experiences of adult victims could be extremely valuable in order to improve processes and structures for helping and protecting children and young people and to train professionals. Youth welfare offices should support those affected in exercising their right to come to terms with their experiences, grant them access to their youth welfare office files and give them the opportunity to describe their experiences at the time.
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Source: www.stern.de
