'The right to feel safe :' a feminist analysis of protective behaviours programmes

<\-5-'tl The University of Adelaide

'Women's Studies Department

'The Right to Feel Safe:'

A Feminist Analysis of Protective Behaviours Programmes

Christyana Aspasia Bambacas B.A. Grad.Dip.

November the 15th, 1996

Contents

Abstract Disclaimer

Acknowledgments

Introduction I

Methodotogy

⁷

1.0

Critical Literature Review 9

Who

is

talking

^?

Who

is being

heard

^?

1.1 Incest and Child Sexual

Abuse

¹²

l.2TheLegacy

of Freud and

Kinsey

¹⁷

1.3 Radical Feminist

Theory

³²

1.4 The Construction

of

Child Sexual Abuse by Radical

Feminists

³⁶

1.5

A

Postmodern Feminist

Response

⁴³

2.0

Protective Behaviours Programmes 46

2.1 Child Sexual Abuse Prevention

Programmes

⁴⁸

2.2The 'Right

to Feel Safe Protective Behaviours

Programme

⁵⁶

2.3 Prevention of Child Sexual

Abuse

⁷⁷

3.0

Conclusion

⁷⁸

4.0

Bibtiography

⁸³

Abstract

Chid

sexual abuse

is a

widespread phenomenon.

It is an act which has long historical origins in

Western society.

Despite this the sexual

abuse

of children

has

generally

been denied

qnd trivialised by

academics.

Freud and Kinsey, who are

the earliest contributors

to

the debates on

child

sexuql abuse,

partook in

the

denial of child sexual abuse. Their works have signi/icantly influenced subsequent

theoretical understandings

of child

sexual abuse. The

psychiatric, psychological, and sociological

discourses on

child

sexual abuse have

generally

operated

to trivialise

the extent

of

this phenomenon

and

to

place

the blame

of

the occurrence

of this

heinous

act on

the

child

victims and

/ or

the mothers of incestuous

families.

Prior to the 1970's

there was

s limited

academic

literature available on child

sexual abuse.

It

^was

radical feminisls, in the

seventies,

who

exposed

the

widespread nature

of child

sexual abuse.

In

doing so, they høve transformed the issue

of child

sexual abuse

from

^a

private

issue to a

public

one. As

a

consequence

of

the women's movement

and the

increment

in reportings of child

sexual abuse,

the literature on this topic

has burgeoned. Radical

feminists

^{have expiqssd the}

patriarchal

biases

which underpin

the mainstresm theoretical explanations

of child

sexual abuse. This has been done through the

recognition of child

sexual abuse

as

ctn

act which

^is

perpetrated by

men against,

predominantly

but

not

exclusively, young

girls.

Radicøl

feminists in

effect

position child

sexual abuse as a manifestation of male

powerwithin thefømily

ond society.

As a result of the

^increased

reportings of child sexual

abuse

and

increased awareness

by

the generøl

public there has

been a

focus upon the

implementation

of

preventative progrqmmes. 'Protective behoviours' programmes are curuently

widely accepted as

ffictive

ⁱⁿ

preventing child

sexual abuse. These programmes

are

taught to

children

through the educational system.

Ihe

bosic assumption

of

these programmes is that children can prevent self victimisation by

learning

empowerment skills.

Ihe aim of this

thesis

is to provide the reader with an

understanding

of

the

manner in which the

mainstream,

feminist and prolective

behaviours discourses are

operating to construct child sental abuse, victim, perpetrøtor, power, agency and sexuality. Ihe effect of

these discourses

will be noted as will the implications

the

protective

behaviours progrommes have

for

^the

feminist

^{movement, the}

prevention of

child

sexual abuse ond childhood safety.

Thiswork

contains no

materialwhich

has been accepted

for

^the award of any other degree or diploma at any other university

or tertiary

institution and, to the best

almy

htowledge and belief contaìns no mølerial

previously

published or

written

by another person except where due

reference is madc

in

the text.

I gre

consent

lo

this copy of my thesis, when deposited

in

the University

Librøry,

being

availablefor

^losn

and

photocopying.

Christyana Aspasia Bambacas

Acknowledgments

Firstly,

I

would like

to

thank

Dr.

Margie Ripper

for

her endless support, encouragement and insightful criticism.

I

would also like to thank the Women's Studies Department at The University

of

Adelaide

for

providing me

with

an supportive environment which facilitates learning.

I

would like to thank my parents,

Mary

and Nicolas Bambacas,

for

always providing

me with

the opportunity

to

reach

for

the stars.

I

would like

to

acknowledge my brother Michaelis Bambacas who through his own example ^has taught me that anything is possible.

I

would like to thank my sister Anna Bambacas

for

always being supportive, cheerfirl, understanding and kind.

I

would like

to

thank my young brother George

for

reminding me of the

joys of

childhood.

A

special

thanþou

to Louise Bullen

for

all those cups of coffee.

This manuscript was

written

ⁱⁿ dedication

to

the memory of my brother,

Tomi

Susanto Bambacas.