Holocaust child survivors and child sexual abuse.
This study utilized a qualitative analysis of child survivors of the Holocaust who were sexually abused during World War II. The research study aimed to give this specific group of survivors a voice and to explore the impact of multiple extreme traumas, the Holocaust and childhood sexual abuse, on the survivors. Twenty-two child survivors of the Holocaust who were sexually abused during the war completed open-ended interviews. The data was qualitatively analyzed according to Tutty, Rothery, and Grinnell's (1996) guidelines. Three major themes were found: issues relating to the sexual abuse trauma, survivors' perceptions of the abuse, and survivors' general perspectives towards life. The identity of the offenders, Jewish or non-Jewish, determined the survivors' feelings towards themselves, the perpetrators, and about the worth of life.
Lev-Wiesel
Rachel
R
Department of Social Work, Ben Gurion University, Beer Sheva, 84105, Israel.
Amir
Marianne
M
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017767:Holocaust / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007557:Israel; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017741:Survivors / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare