The resolution from the APA, although it's not dated, can be found at
http://www.apa.org/pi/cyf/cyfres.html#csa.
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APA Resolution Opposing Child Sexual Abuse
WHEREAS, the American Psychological Association is steadfast in its
stand against the sexual abuse of children, and
WHEREAS, the welfare, appropriate treatment and protection of children
is a priority of the highest order for the American Psychological
Association, and
WHEREAS, the Committee on Children, Youth, and Families of the American
Psychological Association was established in 1986 to "…contribute to the
formulation and support of policies that facilitate the optimal
development of children and youth within families…", and
WHEREAS, children who have been sexually abused often experience health
problems, eating disorders, learning difficulties, behavioral problems,
fearfulness, social withdrawal, anxiety, depression and suicidal
thoughts, and
WHEREAS, psychologists as researchers, educators, service providers and
policy advocates have played important roles in advancing knowledge
regarding the consequences, effective treatment, and prevention of child
sexual abuse, and
WHEREAS, the vast body of research studies published by the American
Psychological Association over the past 20 years has advanced the field
and contributed to the development of sound public policy, and
WHEREAS, the American Psychological Association repudiates and
disassociates itself from any organization or publication that advocates
sexual interaction between children and adults,
THEREFORE, be it resolved that the American Psychological Association
reaffirms its long established position that sexual relations between
children and adults, are abusive, exploitive, reprehensible and properly
punishable by law.
**************************
Here's a statement from the APA dated March 23, 1999 found at
http://www.apa.org/releases/childsexabuse.html:
******************
Statement on Childhood Sexual Abuse
Childhood Sexual Abuse Causes Serious Harm to its Victims
The American Psychological Association (APA), through its members,
sponsored initiatives and publishing, has a
long record in the area of the prevention and treatment of child abuse
and neglect including sexual abuse. In the legislative arena, for
example, APA has played an active role in advocating for programs
expanding child abuse prevention, treatment and research. And, through
its Coordinating Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect, APA has been a
leader in helping the mental health profession document and treat the
ill effects of childhood abuse.
In 1990, the APA Council of Representatives passed a resolution calling
for a national strategy to prevent and
treat child abuse and neglect and called such action a matter of the
highest urgency. *APA’s position is,
therefore, very clear: The sexual abuse of children is wrong and harmful
to its victims.*
As a publisher of psychological research, APA publishes thousands of
research reports every year. But,
publication of the findings of a research project within an APA journal
is in no way an endorsement of a finding by the Association.
The article which is the basis for this controversy, A Meta-Analytic
Examination of Assumed Properties of
Child Sexual Abuse Using College Samples, is one of hundreds of studies
which appear in the psychological
literature on the effects of childhood sexual abuse. Unfortunately, the
findings of this meta-analysis (a meta-analysis studies the data of
multiple previous research projects on the subject) are being
misreported by some in the media. The actual findings are that for this
segment of the population (college students) being the victim of
childhood sexual abuse was found to be *less* damaging to them than
generally believed. However, one overall statement of the results was
that students who were the victims of child sexual abuse *were, on
average, slightly less well-adjusted* than students who were not
victimized as children. One important follow-up question raised by the
study is what happens to these students as they enter adulthood and
start families of their own. Do they further experience detrimental
effects of their childhood experiences later in life?
Those who are reporting that the study says that childhood sexual
contact with adults is not harmful to children are misreporting the
findings. *The facts are that the majority of the psychological
literature reveals that childhood sexual abuse has serious negative
effects on its victims.* The question raised by the study is an
important one – Does sexual abuse cause varying degrees of harm to
children? In other words, can the child’s age, resiliency, and/or family
environment ever mitigate the ill effects of the abuse? *If such
mitigating factors can be shown through this and further research child
abuse prevention and treatment programs could put that knowledge to work
helping both children and families. Such knowledge would, however, in no
way excuse any form of abuse. All abuse is wrong, but all abuse may not
be equally harmful.*
No responsible mental health organization, including the American
Psychological Association, endorses pedophilia or denies its negative
effects on children. Any statement that suggests otherwise is a serious
distortion of the truth. The American Psychiatric Association writes:
"An adult who engages in sexual activity with a child is performing a
criminal and immoral act which never can be considered normal or
socially acceptable behavior.
This statement is fully consistent with the policies of the American
Psychological Association and with the views of mental health
professionals throughout the nation.
For copies of the APA Policy Statement on the Psychological Issues
Related to Child Abuse and Neglect, the
Report of the APA Coordinating Committee on Child Abuse and Neglect or
for citations from the
psychological literature on childhood sexual abuse contact:
Public Communications Office
American Psychological Association
(202) 336-5700
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
March 23, 1999
**************************
"*" = emphasis in the original
Jim Guinee forwarded the following from the right-wing Family Research
Council (truncated to conserve bandwidth):
> WASHINGTON, June 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Backing away from a controversial
> article that had said child molestation with "willing" children may not be
> harmful, and may, in some cases, even be beneficial, the American
> Psychological Association unveiled Wednesday a resolution condemning all
> "sexual relations between children and adults."
>
> "After much pressure, the APA has begun to undo the damage wrought by its
> publication of a badly conceived article ...
--
Sue Frantz, Asst Prof of Psych [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Faculty Office Bldg, 2400 Scenic Drive Office: (505)439-3752
New Mexico State Univ. - Alamogordo Fax: (505)439-3802
Alamogordo, NM 88310 USA http://web.nmsu.edu/~sfrantz
