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Issues and developments that have occurred in relation to elder abuse, specifically concerning the domestic setting, will be briefly explored. Over the last 15 years, there has been increasing global recognition of abuse and neglect of older people who might be at risk of such forms of harm, as a social problem needing attention. The role of the media and media representations of elder abuse are clearly of relevance here and are the main focus of this chapter.

Around 500,000 older people are believed to be abused at any one time in the United Kingdom, with most victims of elder abuse being older women with a chronic illness or disability, according to statistics provided by the government information service (NHS Digital, 2019). Most of the abuse recorded relates to domestic settings within communities.

Gender-based violence and abuse amongst older women may be overlooked by health and social care providers. For older women, their gender seems to be forgotten or becomes hidden. Media representation of abuse against older people, particularly older women, does not assist this situation.

Against the backdrop of the global ageing population, it is fundamental that the particular experiences, needs and rights of older people are adequately understood, and that health and care professionals respond appropriately. This chapter explores these issues, in particular the role of the digital media and representations of elder abuse in familial settings and its impact on victims, potential victims, perpetrators, health and social care service providers and the general public.

This narrative review explored the efficacy of school-based child sexual abuse prevention programmes between 1990 and 2002. There were 22 efficacy studies that met clear inclusion criteria. Results covered both methodological design and the range of outcome measures. Methodology was analysed through four dimensions (target population, prevention programme implementation, evaluation methodology and cost-effectiveness). Outcomes for children covered nine categories (knowledge, skills, emotion, perception of risk, touch discrimination, reported response to actual threat/abuse, disclosure, negative effects and maintenance of gains). The studies had many methodological limitations. Prevention programmes had a measure of effectiveness in increasing children ' s awareness of child sexual abuse as well as self-protective skills. Beyond minimal disclosure rates, there was no evidence to demonstrate that programmes protected children from intra-familial sexual abuse. For a small number of children prevention programmes produced minimal negative emotional effects. Recommendations for future research, policy and practice, include realistic outcomes for child participants and locating programmes within wider abuse prevention measures.

This study aims to draw together what is known regarding the characteristics and context of adult family violence, and to consider what practitioners and organisations in the UK might learn from the literature.

This study reviews literature on adult family violence and parricide and includes illustrative cases from a study of domestic homicide review reports involving older adults.

Adult family violence most often involves mothers killed by their adult sons. Mental health issues, alcohol/substance misuse and criminality are common themes for perpetrators. Caregiving responsibilities is a theme for both victims and perpetrators. Previous research identified two main categories of adult family homicide: perpetrators with major psychotic illness, and victims-perpetrators in complex relational contexts.

This study considers how practitioners respond to situations of adult family violence and learning for policymakers, agencies and practitioners.

This paper summarises what is known, argues that more research is needed and suggests practical ways forward for policymakers, relevant agencies and practitioners.

The purpose of this paper is to present an empirically anchored, practical clinical approach that simultaneously considers risk factors for the individual and family, when assessing sexually abusive individuals of all ages and genders.

Identified were specific, empirically based variables on sizable validation and cross-validation samples (i.e. combined total of over 2,000 male and female youth, ages 4-19) that were directly related to risk for coarse sexual improprieties and/or sexually abusive behaviors.

Clinical considerations are offered regarding developmental domains not often considered and/or studied when working with sexually abusive individuals of all ages and genders. That is, attention is focussed on incorporating assessment of sexual development, erotic development, and romantic development and interventions to decrease intimacy deficits and thus improve skills in relationships. Specific strategies for utilizing the approach in assessment and treatment are described.

Overall the paper synthesizes the importance of the individual and family history with regard to those elements related to family history, sexual abuse, and intimacy deficits. The paper provides clinical, practice application with regard to assessment and risk variables in sexual abuse cases.

The manuscript introduces an original concept, the Family Lovemap with empirical data to support its underpinnings. The overall family system is viewed as a living sexual organism with its history that formulates the individual's unique Family Lovemap. The family is seen as a changing and evolving psycho-sexual system. Discussed is the impact of Family Lovemap onto the individual, providing an avenue of consideration in assessment and treatment, specifically, with issues related to bonding, attachment, and sexual development. On a broader scope, it offers more a “collective view” of a sexually abusive individual when doing a risk assessment.

The purpose of this paper is to describe hitherto unexplored issues related to sexual abuse of left-behind children of migrant women in Sri Lanka.

This qualitative study was conducted in high labour-sending districts. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted with school teachers, community youth groups and members of civil organisations, and semi-structured interviews (SSIs) were conducted with community leaders, religious leaders, social workers, and primary healthcare workers. Data were analysed using content analysis, and emerging themes were mapped.

Community members reported that sexual abuses of migrant women’s children, although not uncommon, are scarcely notified due to societal and institutional factors. They have a high awareness on types of sexual abuses faced by migrants’ children, extent of such abuses, and physical, emotional, and social complications of such abuses. They also reported factors that increase these children’s vulnerability to abuse. Role perceived to be played by state and non-state social institutions and authorised personnel in protecting children is inadequate, leading to low reporting and community cooperation.

High community awareness found provides a good platform to launch culturally sensitive child protection interventions.

Findings of barriers and opportunities indicate that effective policy instruments and cogent and functional programmes interlinking all stakeholder-institutions are required to protect migrant women’s children.

This study provided first in-depth exploration of issues related to sexual abuses of migrant women’s children in Sri Lanka and possible opportunities for community-based interventions.

This paper aims to examine operational policing practice and child abuse. The paper acknowledges the influence second-wave feminism has had on police practice in terms of recognising and addressing this crime type. However, child abuse is mostly considered within the context of a single incident, with those children who suffer repeat and poly-victimisation being overlooked. As a consequence, the application of intersectionality as a theoretical framework to underpin practice is considered.

The paper adopts a case study approach. By doing so, an examination of operational policing practice with regard to child abuse takes place.

Feminism, as a theoretical framework, for informing practice has its limitations, in particular with regard to operational policing practice. This is illustrated through the crime type of child abuse. With the onset of work by scholars such as Finkelhor, the importance of recognising and dealing with those who suffer from repeat and multiple forms of victimisation has become apparent. As a consequence, the policing of repeat and poly-victimisation of child sexual abuse victims needs to be enhanced. Intersectionality is considered as being a theoretical framework that can inform police practice in this area of work.

The implications for practice are, namely, intersectionality has an important role to play in informing an understanding of child abuse. Intersectionality is an appropriate framework for the police to use to enhance their response to child abuse as the cornerstone of both Intersectionality and police practice is to redress unjust treatment. A targeted and consistent approach by police, education, health and community services to prevent child abuse informed by intersectionality. Building on the success of a number of police-led initiatives designed to address child abuse.

Much that is written about child abuse is typically done so through the lens of social work. This piece provides a timely reminder of the importance of policing in the prevention, disruption and reduction of this crime type. Further to this, the paper takes a novel approach by applying intersectionality not only as a means of understanding and addressing child abuse but as a means of informing police practice in dealing with the crime.

Purpose – This chapter explores claims of social problem workers in criminal justice and mental health with regard to how to manage males who are identified as or self-identify as both victims and perpetrators (V/Ps) of sexual abuse. We also examine the claims of V/Ps with regard to how they manage their dual status.

Methodology – This chapter is based on an action research project on intervention services for V/Ps in Ontario, Canada. Our data include literature reviews, interviews with intervention professionals, V/P narratives, and a transcription of a stake-holder's workshop.

Findings – Intervention workers whose mandate is offender risk management state they give little attention to victimization-related issues of V/Ps, whereas workers in victims’ services often state that adult V/Ps are not covered under their mandate. This suggests that the status of offender is the master status for adult V/Ps. Our V/P narratives recount efforts at self-management and some V/Ps and intervention professionals have expressed interest in the possibility of developing programs specially designed for V/Ps.

Practical Implications – An examination of issues related to the dual status of sexual abuse V/Ps suggests that V/Ps may require special services that cannot be provided by existing programs for perpetrators and victims.

Originality/Value of Paper – Studies of social problem work might benefit from considering not only professionals’ viewpoints but also those of their clients. This chapter explores new intervention models (GLM and RJ) that incorporate ethical concerns based on a rights perspective (“moral repair”) and the experiential concerns of V/Ps.

The purpose of this paper is to examine public perception of factors relevant in sentencing decision making for juvenile school shooters with a history of familial abuse, peer victimization, and school intervention.

Through the use of school shooting vignettes, 298 college-aged participants were randomly assigned to one of eight experimental conditions which differed based on the inclusion of the independent variables.

Results revealed no significant differences among the groups on the sentencing recommendations (i.e. psychiatric placement and incarceration). However, correlational analyses indicated that participants’ generally perceived they were influenced by the perpetrator’s history of peer victimization and the level of intervention offered by school personnel when the shooter was bullied. Further regression analyses suggested that participant characteristics such as race, gender, and prior experiences with bullying were among the most powerful predictors of agreement with sentencing recommendations.

Implications of the current findings raise questions as to the influence of peer victimization in civil and criminal court proceedings and its associated impact on the juvenile justice system, the educational system, and society’s desire for justice.

This study ambitiously ventures into exploring and understanding the relevant sociological, academic, and legal factors in addressing acts of school violence.

Although No Secrets suggests that adult protection practices should seek to prevent abuse, it can be argued that such practice predominately focuses on pursuing effective responses to abuse that has already happened, rather than preventing the onset of abuse. This research sought to contribute to the prevention of abuse, through the identification of ‘early indicators’. Early indicators were identified, and this knowledge has been applied to equip families and practitioners to report concerns at an early stage and seek protective responses.