Family stress experience in dealing with child victims of sexual violence.

OBJECTIVE: Stress is one of the responses experienced by families with child victims of sexual violence. The purpose of this study was to explore in depth the stress experienced by families dealing with child victims of sexual violence.

METHOD: This qualitative study employed the phenomenology approach. A purposive sample of six families participated in the study. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method.

RESULTS: This study discussed the experience of family with children who are victims of sexual violence. This study generated the following 5 themes: 1) sexual violence and the subsequent behavior changes in children as a source of family stress; 2) Family stress as a response to changes in the family process; 3) social support as sources of the family's strengths; 4) spiritual activities for coping with stress, and 5) parenting changes as a family learning and evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggested the development of the School Mental Health Unit to help families, and the community, identify and prevent sexual violence. In addition, the School Mental Health Unit would be a useful source for students who experience sexual violence to function well at school.