Abstract
D.Litt et.Phil.
Parents, educators, police officers, social workers, psychologists, the courts and
child and youth care workers have raised important concerns about the increase of
child-on-child sexual abuse among children younger than 12 years and their limited
understanding of this phenomenon. New policy and legislation places the emphasis
on assessment and intervention that takes account of the rights of children in conflict
with the law including victims and the need for the diversion of children from the
criminal justice system. The aim and objectives of the study are to explore the nature
of child-on-child sexual abuse and their social and familial contexts with the view to
making recommendations to inform assessment and intervention for children in
conflict with the law.
A descriptive and exploratory research design was employed. A mixed methods
research design consisting of a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods
of data collection were used. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was
used for both the quantitative and qualitative part of the study based on predetermined
selection criteria. In the quantitative component of the study, a
questionnaire was administered to 50 boys between 6 and 12 years and to their
mothers who were referred to The Teddy Bear Clinic for treatment for sexual acting
out behaviours. The qualitative study consisted of a detailed analysis of six case
files. The information gathered from the document study was over a longer period of
time and consisted of more detailed information. O’Brien and Bera’s (1986)
classification of young sex offenders guided the social worker’s assessment of the
respondents who were in turn classified according to the levels of risk they presented
to society.
The findings confirm that this phenomenon exists with the youngest perpetrators in
this study being six years old (2%). The majority of the respondents (66%) were 12
years of age and were engaged in more severe or intrusive sexualised behaviour
such as attempted rape and rape (48%) and less severe behaviour such as touching
of genitals (16%). About 60% of the boys were in the senior primary school. Thus
this age group which marks the pubescent phase of development should be
considered to be a high risk group to child sexual offending.