Abstract
M.Ed.
Sexual molestation is a worldwide evil that affects all aspects ,of a child's humanity. It is stated that one out of every four girls and one out of every nine boys in South Africa are exposed to sexual molestation before they reach adulthood. Approximately 75 % of these molestations are committed by people who are well-known to the child and who occupy a position of trust.
A disturbed educational relationship deprives a child of actively participating in his own development. It leaves him with a low sense of self-worth so that he feels negative and overwhelmed by the future.
Childhood events have an influence on the developing adult and his future thought- and conduct-patterns. It is postulated that, should traumatic events disrupt the normal life cycle, destructive conduct-patterns develop that are detrimental to the individual as well as the broader community. The intervention of the educational psychologist is therefore necessary to break this destructive pattern. Consequently this research was aimed at learning about and understanding the life-world of the sexually molested child.
An exploratory, descriptive, contextual and qualitative approach was followed to compile this information. In this research phenomenological interviews and projective techniques were used to involving six children, between the ages of ten and fifteen who were victims of sexual molestation. After the interviews had been recorded on audiotape and transcribed, and the drawings analyzed, the themes were identified and ordered.
The results brought the following manifested experiences to light: shame due to own low self-worth; guilt due to a nagging conscience; fury due to violent conduct and humiliation; anxiety and pain due to fear of repetition and disappointment in mankind; distorted perceptions of the future due to deficient guidance by adults.
Guidelines for the guidance of sexually molested children by the educational psychologist are discussed in accordance with the above mentioned themes, while Garbers' educational model is also referred to.
It is clear that sexual molestation has extensive implications for its victims. It is however believed that these children can achieve personal insight, true healing and maximum inner potential, through the compassionate guidance of the educational psychologist.