Recognizing female-perpetrated sexual abuse: A vignette-based study on professional judgments.

BACKGROUND

Female-perpetrated child sexual abuse (FCSA) remains under recognized, particularly in ambiguous cases involving caregiving contexts. Despite growing awareness, professionals may struggle to identify FCSA due to traditional gender roles.

OBJECTIVE

This study examined how victim characteristics (age, gender), perpetrator type (mother, teacher, sex worker), and respondent background (gender and profession) influence professionals' recognition of FCSA and its harm.

PARTICIPANTS AND

SETTING

The sample included 502 professionals (59 % female, 20-65 years) from nine professions (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, police officers, lawyers, doctors, nurses, forensic specialists, and psychological counselors) in Turkey. Participants were grouped into three professional categories: mental health professionals/social workers, health professionals, and justice professionals.

METHODS

Respondents evaluated 10 brief vignettes depicting FCSA cases varying by victim gender, victim age, and perpetrator type. For each vignette, the respondents indicated whether they considered the case to be sexual abuse and rated the perceived harm to the victim. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests, t-tests, and ANOVAs.

RESULTS

Ambiguous cases, particularly maternal abuse, were less likely to be identified as abuse. Female and mental health/social work professionals showed higher sensitivity to FCSA and attributed greater harm. In contrast, justice professionals were the least likely to recognize abuse or its harm on the victim. Notably, sexual intercourse with a female sex worker was perceived as less harmful than with a teacher. Victim gender and age also significantly influenced abuse recognition and perceived harm.

CONCLUSIONS

Professionals' perceptions of FCSA are frequently shaped by sociocultural norms and legal framing. The results highlighting the need for specialized training and public awareness to improve detection of underreported abuse types.