Understanding recantation in child sexual abuse.

Investigating child sexual abuse is a challenging and onerous responsibility .In some cases th challenges emanates from from the child's inability to verbalize the abuse.However in some instances the tendency for a child to retract or fail to elaborate on an initial disclosure is common

It is often very frustrating for a child victim to change her statement.On the look of things it might appear as if the child would have made a false allegation but according to Riefer(1991) cited by the National Children's Advocacy centre ,very few children lie .Recantation is a statement that no longer holds a particular opinion or belief.According to Riefer

recantation is when a child retracts what he/she previously disclosed.

A typical example of recantation is when a child indicates that he/she was sexually abused by his/her father and later changes her statement and says it was their gardener.

It has been acknowledged that the tendency for a child who has been a victim of sexual abuse to recant,retract or fail to elaborate on an initial disclosure is common and is due to internal and external pressures.Internal pressures may include feelings of disloyalty to family ,fear of threats from an alleged perpetrator,fear of loss of love ,self blame for the abuse and fear of the unknown.

Perpetrators of sexual abuse on Children in Zimbabwe either use threats or bribery to silence the victim hence chances of internal pressure arrange high.External pressure may include anger from siblings and other family members ,a trend common in interfamilial rape , disbelief by parents and lack of support .Also pressure from the family ,fear and negative consequences are other reasons.

If the child perceives that her situation has worsened since making the disclosure,this increases the probability of recantation.

For example where an injudicious decision is made to place the child from a well up family in a children's home.The child will recant in an attempt to put the the world back the way it was before anyone found out.

Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience and it may result in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder(PTSD),which could intensify the child's capacity to avoid memory of a bad experience.As a result the child may retract because he /she is experiencing the avoidance phase of PTSD.The need to involve counsellors and psychologists become imperative to help the child deal with the crisis

The interference of family made others can drive the child to recantation.A child is usually confronted with disbelief ,blame and rejection from the adults.Such abandonment by the very adults crucial to the child's protection and recovery drives the child deeper into self blame,self hate alienation and revictimisation which may result in recantation.

In conclusion ,it has been observed that recantation of truthfully allegation of abuse heightens the possibility of recurrence of the last sexual assault and may increase the child's vulnerability to further victimisation.It also creates an obstacle to an effective prosecution of the alleged offender.

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LETS HELP COMBAT CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE ,BY PLAYING A PART IN SPREADING THE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

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