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Sun, 2008-08-24 18:00 - almost_human

from http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/234997.html

Clarification of Answer by slawek-ga on 25 Jul 2003 22:47 PDT

Good Day benfranklin,

Here is some additional information I was able to find in scientific
journals.


FATAL MALTREATMENT STATISTICS

Excerpt: "Approximately 2000 children die annually in the United
States from maltreatment. Although maternal and child risk factors for
child abuse have been identified, the role of household composition
has not been well-established."

Excerpt: "Children residing in households with adults unrelated to
them were 8 times more likely to die of maltreatment than children in
households with 2 biological parents (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 8.8;
95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.6-21.5). Risk of maltreatment death
also was elevated for children residing with step, foster, or adoptive
parents (aOR: 4.7; 95% CI: 1.6-12.0), and in households with other
adult relatives present (aOR: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.5).

Source: Pediatrics; Apr2002, Vol. 109 Issue 4, p615, 7p, 1bw


SEXUAL ABUSE

Excerpt: "Using data from the sexual abuse (cases) drawn from the
state of Iowa, no biologically related caretakers are found to be
substantially over represented in the volume of sexual abuse which was
reported, and biologically related caretakers are underrepresented."

Summary: Of the 2662 cases of sexual abuse, 181 (6.8%) were attributed
to a biological female parent.  Only 4 cases (0.1%) of the 2662 cases
are attributed to a female adoptive parent.

Source: Child Sexual Abuse by Caretakers
Lesle Margolin; John L. Craft
Family Relations, Volume 38, Issue 4 (Oct. 1989) 450-455.

Having read through a whole bundle of information, I have found no
reference to an increased or decreased likelihood of abuse towards
adoptive children when biological children are present.  This does not
appear to be a factor.

As always, please do request a clarification regarding any part
(present or missing) of my answer.  I will be all of Saturday, but
expect to be doing some work on Sunday.

Have a great weekend!

Regards,
slawek-ga

so isn't sexual abuse a type of maltreatment?  isn't it also harder to prove and report?  are there any other studies on this?

0

Comments

Mon, 2008-08-25 01:12 — Kerry

Collecting evidence

In terms of finding sexual abuse studies done on adopted children, I'd have to say "good luck", so I'm impressed you even found the above information!  [After all, who would want to fund a longitudinal study reflecting poor, abusive adoption outcomes?] 

I think the following statement says it all:

an FBI document says that "only 1 to 10 percent
of child molestation cases are ever reported to police"

"The Complex Nature of Child Sexual Abuse", 1996 http://www.ipce.info/library_3/files/complex_nature_of_csa.htm

Perhaps the thinking is, "if we ignore or deny the situation, the problem will go away".

Sickening, isn't it?

Mon, 2008-08-25 02:32 — almost_human

The first wave

At my first Asian Adopted Adults of Washington meeting/picnic this weekend, I spoke with an Amerasian who was on one of the Holt's baby planes to the US.
Like me, he had a mid-life nervous breakdown and only then began to investigate what it means to be adopted and transracial.

He told me about the first IKAA gathering of adoptees where, when the topic of sexual abuse came up, 50% of the Group I (see break-down of groups below) adoptees sitting at his table admitted to sexual abuse. At first, only a handful of women were willing to raise their hands, and slowly more and more hand were raised.  Then he raised his hand and he was surprised when several other men raised their hands as well.  All the adoptees in the group were in tears at this point.

I recalled reading about this and you will find the survey report about this amazing gathering a fascinating read.
http://www.adoptioninstitute.org/proed/korfindings.html

Here is the break down of groups:

Group I - birth years 1952-1959
Group II - birth years 1960-1966
Group III - birth years 1967-1970
Group IV - birth years 1971-1972
Group V - birth years 1973-1974
Group VI - birth years 1975-1978

(Kimette and I are part of Group II)

Here is the portion accounting for what the Amerasian man related to me:

    With the exception of Group VI, participants in each of the groups reported abuse by adoptive families. Between one quarter and one third of the participants in each group stated that they had been abused. The reality of abuse by adoptive parents led many participants to question how adoptive parents were selected and whether the selection process has changed over time.

regarding Group VI, I wonder if their young age and less independent position might influence revealing abuse in their families, or if better screening methods improved that generation's outcomes.