Original scientific paper
Attitudes of Croatian Professionals towards Child Sexual Abuse
Branka SLADOVIĆ
Abstract
The aim of this paper is to present the attitudes of
Croatian professionals towards child sexual abuse. The
research included 253 professionals: social workers,
psychologists, special educators, teachers, school-child
physician and lawyers. Questionnaires were distributed
at their work place or during the professional gatherings.
Analyses of results show that: (1) professionals have
demonstrated a well developed cognitive component,
positive emotional relationship towards child sexual abuse
victims and competence to take effective actions; (2)
professionals have strong educational needs in the
area of their profession and particularly for interdisciplinary
education; (3) there has been 15.01 percent of
professionals who experienced sexual abuse in childhood
but they do not differ significantly from the sample as a
whole on other variables. The complexity of child
sexual abuse, high number of undetected cases and
long-term consequences together with the results of the
research clearly indicate the need for creating and
improving preventive and protective programs in
Croatia with special emphasis on interdisciplinary
coordination.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
20322
URI
Publication date:
31.12.1999.
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