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.
Read also:
- This will change in December
- German activists speak out in Dubai on suffering in Israel and the Gaza Strip
- Nuclear fusion - hype or solution to energy problems?
- Budget crisis fuels debate on citizen's income - Bas warns against populism
The study revealed deficits in how youth welfare offices handle child sexual abuse cases, with inconsistent practices being a significant issue. Barbara Kavemann, a commission member, mentioned that while some youth welfare offices demonstrated good professional practices, others showed clear deficits that require immediate attention. The study suggests enshrining the development of individual protection concepts in law, as youth welfare offices have a central role in protecting children and young people from sexualized violence.
Unfortunately, the study found that youth welfare office staff did not always build trust with those affected, often due to a lack of protected settings or time for discussions. Moreover, many of those affected initially associated the youth welfare office with fear due to threats from perpetrators. The study suggests that the experiences of adult victims could provide valuable insights to improve processes, structures, and professional training in helping and protecting children and young people.
With this in mind, 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 provide an opportunity for them to describe their experiences. In doing so, youth welfare offices can contribute to overcoming the deficits highlighted in the study and ensuring a more effective response to child sexual abuse cases.
Source: www.stern.de
