KWDI Korean Women’s Development Institute

As sexual violence has become one of the most serious social issues these days, there have been an increasing number of requests for mapping out effective policies. Accordingly, policies and services aimed at supporting victims of sexual violence have been expanded and developed in diverse areas but support for the families of sexual violence victims has not been satisfactorily provided yet. Therefore, this research is aimed at figuring out what victims and their families want from their own perspectives and providing valuable data to improve intervention and support for sexual violence victims and their families – especially victims intrafamilial sexual abuse.

The major contents of this research are as follows. First, this study has analyzed the experiences and desires of the families of sexual violence victims. Second, it has examined the cases of foreign countries and has come up with plans for their application to the domestic cases. Third, the study has examined the problems in the South Korea’s current systems for intervention and support for the families of victims based on the comprehensive review of the related systems. Finally, the study has suggested policy directions based on the results of the research.

With regard to the methodology of research, this study has focused on the following approaches: 1) collection and examination of existing documents and data on child sexual abuse and intrafamilial sexual abuse; 2) in-depth interviews with victims and their families; 3) interviews with field professionals; 4) case studies of the United States and Australia; and 5) holding advisory meetings to gather opinions from experts on the research.

This study focuses on six categories: 1) support for initial response of families and their roles; 2) family counseling and treatment; 3) assessment of risk factors in the family; 4) protection of victims and their families and support for their self-independence; 5) termination and limitation of parental rights of abusing or neglecting parents; and 6) treatment and intervention for offenders.

Based on the major outcomes, we suggest as follows.

First, with regard to the issue of support for initial response of families and their roles, it is necessary for such central organizations as the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and the Central Support Center for Female and Child Victims of Violence to develop standardized manuals and share them with integrated support centers, counseling offices for sexual violence, and other relevant organizations for supporting victims of sexual violence. In addition, it is necessary to develop standardized instructional materials and distribute the materials to victims’ families so that those parents who do not want intervention from the organizations can get access to them whenever they need the materials without bothering to contact the organizations.

Second, with regard to family counseling and treatment, it is desirable for those central organizations to develop systematic programs diversified and subdivided according to the special situations of abused children and their families and distribute these programs to the centers supporting victims of sexual violence so that they could share them with those who need them. Besides, it is necessary to expand intervention in victims’ families by utilizing regional community organizations and through the sharing of roles and tasks among the agencies supporting victims of sexual violence. For this, it is necessary to cultivate the professional manpower for family counseling and treatment at competent counseling centers in each region and to raise the competitive edge of the counseling staff through effective education and training.

Third, with regard to assessment of risk factors in victims’ families, it is necessary to develop a standardized tool for assessing the vulnerable points of families and distribute them to the organizations supporting victims of sexual violence so that they could share them with those who need them. Those organizations supporting victims of sexual violence are required to basically assess the vulnerable points of families and utilize the regional community organizations so that the families can receive help from the regional community-related agencies.

Fourth, with regard to protection of victims and their families, information on sexual violence victims and their families should not be exposed in court. Besides, in order to prevent further offence, victims of sexual violence and their families should be allowed to ask the court to issue a stayaway order which states that an offender is prohibited from coming near and/or contacting them from the very moment of accusation regardless of actual threats from an offender. In case of sexual abuse involving family members, an offender needs to be separated from families, not victims, from the very moment of accusation.

Fifth, with regard to the termination and limitation of parental rights, it is necessary for legal professionals(e.g. judges, prosecutors, lawyers, etc.) and relevant organizations to recognize the importance of legal separation of children from parents and termination and limitation of parental rights. It is necessary to create a standardized assessment tool that puts top priorities on the safety of children, systematically review home environment of child victims, and judge on the issue of separation of children or parental rights. Besides, a substitute child care system should be established so that child victims should be safely protected in case their parents’ rights were terminated or limited.

Finally, with regard to treatment of and intervention in offenders, it is necessary to develop and utilize a program according to the characteristics of offenders in order to effectively carry out the scheme. It is necessary to reinforce the requirement standards and train counsellors. It is also necessary to regularly educate and monitor the released offenders in order to prevent repeated crime and to help them successfully return to society.