Publisher's Synopsis
This Monograph describes the first systematic, longitudinal investigation of the long term outcomes for adolescents and young adults who were involved in criminal court prosecutions as child sexual abuse vitims. The investigation is a follow up to an earlier study exploring the immediate and short–term sequelae for child victims following criminal court involvement. As was evident in the short–term study, testifying repeatedly, especially in cases involving severe abuse, continued to predict adverse mental health consequences over time. Yet, in one situation, specifically when the perpetrator recieved an especially lenient sentence, not testifying was related to poorer current functioning. Children′s developmental level at the time of the legal case also played an important role in predicting long–term outcomes. Overall, findings highlight the need to consider multiple factors when assessing consequences of legal involvement on child victims. Findings also reveal potentially important areas where interventions should be targeted to ameliorate adverse consequences on vulnerable child victims.
