Researchers: Victoria Hovane (nee Martin), Professor Alfred Allan, Dr M Allan (Edith Cowan University, Joondalup)
Funding: Internal
Project summary: The sexual abuse of children in Aboriginal communities continues to be a critical social problem in Western Australia. This research will investigate local Aboriginal understandings about child sexual abuse, what it looks like, how it is experienced, what are the barriers to addressing the issue and how those barriers can be overcome. A qualitative methodology utilizing a grounded theory approach and involving semi-structured interviews will be used. The interviews will be conducted with a minimum of 12 adult Aboriginal men and 12 Aboriginal women or until saturation is reached. Each interview will be audio-taped and transcribed. Thematic content analyses will be conducted on the transcribed data and the results used to develop a theoretical framework about child sexual abuse in the local Aboriginal community. This framework will be verified through two forums; one with a community group, and the other with a group of workers and professionals. The resultant framework may then be used to inform policy development and strategies for addressing the issue.
Progress: Completed in 2013