MGG2602 – Sexual Trauma
2020 – Semester 1 – Assignment 2
Question One:
Read the case studies, below and answer the questions that follow. You must integrate literature to support your answer.
Case study one: Thabiso is a nine-year-old boy. He tends to be aggressive and few children li...
Question One:
Read the case studies, below and answer the questions that follow. You must integrate
literature to support your answer.
Case study one: Thabiso is a nine-year-old boy. He tends to be aggressive and few children
like to play with him because he is such a bully. Sipho, the neighbour, hears screams and
looks over the fence to find that he has upset his four-year-old sister by tying her up naked
and rubbing his penis over her tummy. Sipho is shocked by the behaviour of Thabiso.
1.1 How would you interpret Thabiso` s behaviour towards Sipho`s four-year-old sister?
1.2. What would you recommend Sipho do about this situation?
Case study two: Nthatie came across her five-year-old daughter playing with the
neighbour’s son of the same age. Nthatie was shocked to find both children naked with the
little boy’s fingers on her daughter’s vulva. Her daughter seemed to be happily involved in
this game.
1.3. How would you interpret this behaviour of the two children?
1.4. What would you recommend that Nthatie do to deal with this situation? (2)
Case study three: Gladys is reading her three-year-old son a bedtime story. As she reads,
she notices him playing with his penis. He seems engrossed in the story and obviously
enjoying the sensation of playing with his penis at the same time.
1.5. How would you interpret the behaviour of Glady’s son?
1.6. What would you recommend that Gladys do to deal with this situation? (2)
Question Two:
2.1. Name and give examples of two possible signs that a child is in trouble
2.2. Name and give examples of two self-harming behaviours that a child may engage in as
a sign that they may be abused.
2.3. Discuss the differences between natural sexual exploration between siblings and
sibling incest. Use a table to depict these differences and mention at least four differences.
2.4. There are certain things that a helper should do when dealing with a sexually abused
child. Name four of these aspects.
2.5. Name and give examples of two characteristics of incestuous families.
2.6. Discuss your understanding of the function of an intermediary in criminal court.
2.7. Mention four ways in which you think a child’s experience when, testifying in a
criminal court, can be improved.
2.8. Identify and motivate two emotions a child might experience if he or she has to testify
in a criminal court against their sexual abuse perpetrator.
Question Three:
Read the case study below and answer the questions that follow.
,Case study: Mike was charged with sexually abusing his younger sister Sarah. His probation
officer enforced the court order that he attend counselling. Mike who was 15 years old at
the time of the incidence told his counsellor that his classmates were bigger and more
sexually ‘‘successful’’ than he was; and that one of them had dared him to have sex with a
girl. He said that he was afraid to even talk to a girl, let alone ask her for a date. He
admitted that he made his younger sister Sarah have sexual intercourse with him one
evening when he was babysitting her.
Mike’s mother told the counsellor that Mike’s father had forced sex on her in front of the
children on a number of occasions. She disclosed that he had often beaten her when his
meals were not ready on time. They did not grow up in a happy family where the children
were allowed to talk to their parents about life. Mike’s father was very strict and did not
allow the children to socialise much after school (adapted from Sibling sexual abuse: a
parent’s guide (2003), developed by Family Services of Greater Vancouver).
3.1. Try to identify what her feelings must have been when she discovered what had
happened and when she reported the matter.
3.2. Identify four possible issues that could have been involved in Mike’s becoming a sibling
sexual offender.
3.3. Whose needs did Mike’s mother protect by reporting the matter to the authorities;
motivate your answer.
3.4. Identify four possible advantages for Mike and his family of reporting the matter to the
authorities.
Question Four:
Senzo, a 27-year-old male day labourer, was offered work by two men who stopped at the
intersection where Senzo and other day labourers stood every day in the hope of being
hired. The men drove him to a remote location where they all smoked dagga. Once he was
impaired, he was raped at knifepoint. He expected to be killed, but they left him alive. Senzo
found his way back home. He felt too ashamed to tell his family and friends about what had
happened. He was sure that they would think less of him. He could not report the matter to
the police because he was convinced that he would be judged since he should never have
marketed his services as a labourer alongside the road anyway.
Senzo found that he could not leave home in the mornings without feeling some fear. He
constantly had feelings of being at risk and had difficulty sleeping due to constant
nightmares. His friends and family started noticing that he was withdrawing. He was angry
and drank more. He would not talk to them about what was happening to him. They were
very concerned.
4.1. Name two myths that you think contributed to Senzo not disclosing the rape. Explain
why you think these myths are relevant to this case study. You must provide literature
from theme eight in Tutorial Letter 102 and refer to the relevant sections of the case study
to substantiate your answer.
4.2. Name and discuss three problems Senzo seems to be experiencing after the rape. Use
literature from theme eight in Tutorial Letter 102 and refer to the relevant sections of the
case study to substantiate your answer.
Question Five:
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,Read the following examples of intervention and decide at which level intervention has
taken place; micro, meso or macro. Please name the intervention level; use literature from
your Tutorial Letter 102 and provide a link to the case study to substantiate your answer.
5.1. The matron of the hospital in Mamelodi is distressed by the high number of girls
between the ages of eight and 16 who are brought to the hospital to be treated for sexual
abuse. The local welfare organisations are overworked and there is often a delay in
investigating cases and offering treatment to survivors of sexual abuse. The matron,
together with two senior social workers from local welfare agencies, plans a new
assessment, counselling and group therapy programme for sexually abused children who
are referred to the hospital. This coordinated treatment effort reduces the delay in the
children receiving therapy.
5.2. Tebogo (46) lived in a poorly lit section of Mamelodi. Commuters returning home from
work at night had to walk through a clearing that was quite overgrown. This site had
become a hunting ground for opportunistic rapists. Several women had been victimised on
their way home from work. Tebogo called a meeting with residents in her street to see
what action could be taken to secure the safety of female residents. The women
developed an action plan that consisted of several steps. Firstly, they met with their
municipal councillor and requested that the bush be cleared and the grass burned. They
signed a petition demanding that the open space be lit up at night. The women formed
groups so that they never walked alone through the dangerous area.
5.3. Welfare agencies servicing the Johannesburg Central Business District are alerted by
the police that a crime syndicate suspected of sex trafficking is operating in the area. As
there has been one incident of a missing teenage girl in the area, the welfare agencies
decide to take the warning seriously. They present a series of workshops to pupils, parents
and teachers at the local school on how children can avoid being tricked by strangers and
how adults can create a safer environment for the children of the area.
Question Six:
Consult your telephone directory, the internet; or personally go to the relevant
organisations and answer the following questions about two organisations that work with
sexual abuse victims. These organisations must be in South Africa.
6.1. First organisation
6.1.1. Provide the address and telephone number of the organisation.
6.1.2. What services do this organisation provide in terms of sexual trauma?
6.1.3. How does this organisation market its services, specifically those related to sexual
trauma?
6.1.4. How do you think they can improve their marketing strategies, specifically related to
sexual trauma? Give two examples.
6.2. Second organisation
6.2.1. Provide the address and telephone number of the organisation.
6.2.2. What services do this organisation provide in terms of sexual trauma?
6.2.3. How does this organisation market their services, specifically those related to sexual
trauma?
6.2.4. How do you think they can improve their marketing strategies, specifically those
related to sexual trauma? Give two examples.
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