Research Proposal Child Sexual Abuse and Represse Essays

Research Proposal: Child Sexual Abuse and Repressed Memories Kerrice Lawrence IDST 400 Dr. Gayle Thrift November 6, 2012 Introduction Child sexual abuse has been happening for eons. Unfortunately the molesting culprits are often close to the child and may include an elder brother and cousin, teachers, fathers or father figures as well as uncles. The children are intimidated allowing the culprit to continue these heinous acts while the child is silent. However a sexually abused child could exhibit some growth and development regression symptoms as their only unspoken defense away of the consequence of verbal communication. Needless to say, a child that suffers sexual abuse is also likely to suffer long term effects. Repressed memories have been known to re-emerge into the conscious mind often triggered by one event or a combination of events. The patient suffers recollection of some or all the traumatic encounters that they underwent as a child. These memories could either be partial leading the victim to probe the matter further or full memories of actual events, people and places. However, the question on the reality and accurateness of these memories is questionable. This research attempts to understand psychological and sociological perspectives on why some memories are repressed and others retained. Further, is to understand to understand how the memories of abuse can affect one's life. This research seeks to understand how these memories be recalled in a controlled environment that allows the victim to be able to deal with the tragic events and the people in their lives that committed such attrocities. Hypothesis That repressed memories are an in-built self-defense mechanism relied on by sexually abused children to protect them from emotional scars they are not able to deal with immediately un til such time as they are ready (Freyd, Schooler, Sivers, 2002) . To understand why some memories are retained while others are repressed and what may cause those repressed memories to be recalled into the concious mind set. Definitions Child abuse is defined as coital relations or any coital related activities with a child by a person with of considerable maturity, where the older party has influence over the child. It includes sexual touching such as penetration of the child, fondling; non-touching such as indecently exposing a child, masturbation while a child is watching, exposing a child to pornographic content; and exploiting children sexually by engaging them in pornography or using them to produce pornographic content (American Humane Association, 2011) . Children are often tricked or forced into such sexual acts. Repressed memories refer to when the mind, after experiencing a psychologically traumatic or devastating event, automatically resolves to lock out this event from being stored in the brain and consequently being remembered at a later stage. According to Sigmund Freud - who coined the term -, this would happen so as to ensure the affected person does not have to deal with the emotional trauma of the occurrence of the event. Repression is automatic and different from suppression which is intended or deliberate (Richmond, 2011) . P sychology refers to scientific attempt to understand human behaviour. It analyses behaviours and behaviour change in human beings. It delves into understanding why certain people behave in a certain way, what experiences may be attributed to certain behaviours et al. It further considers matters that may be going on in the unconsious mind that could be affecting or causing certain behaviour in a particular person. With this understanding, it seeks to heal behavioural problems that may emanate from experiences one has had in the past and whose effects are visible in the present. Sociology seeks to understand the social activities of human beings, their structure, development. It tries to understand their problems while attempting to offer a solution for them that would be amicable. It investigeates and critically anlyses social structure in an attempt to understand human beings, explaining the effects of events in human lives and the course a person is likely to take after suffering certain events (Weber, 1994) . Research Methodology and Design To carry out my research I will carry out literature review of past works from sociologists who have conducted observations on victims who suffered abuse. I will concentrate on