Date
4-2024
Date Created
04/26/2024
Project Type
URC Presentation
Department
Sibling Aggression and Abuse Research and Advocacy Initiative (SAARA), Crimes against Children Research Center
College or School
COLA
Class Year
Senior
Subject
Sibling Aggression and Abuse
Major
Political Science & Justice Studies
Faculty Research Advisor
Dr. Tanya Rouleau Whitworth
Language
English
Medium
Poster
Abstract
State child protection statutes lack clarity and specificity in their attention to sibling abuse. It may be reportable under family member or household member abuse, but 14 states lack these categories. It also may be reportable under parental neglect, but this does not accurately characterize some sibling abuse. Sibling abuse can be just as harmful as parental child maltreatment, leaving injuries and mental distress, yet there are no consistent statutory policies for responding to it. Child protection and intervention guidelines exist for sibling sexual abuse, but they are varied and unevenly implemented. Professional guidance for responding to physical and psychological sibling abuse is almost entirely absent.
Source
Weigensberg, E., Islam, N., Knab, J. Grider, M., Page, J., & Larson A. (2022). State Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Policies Database [Data set]. National Data Archive on Child Abuse and Neglect. https://doi.org/10.34681/rpq4-m848
Recommended Citation
J Demarest, Matthew J. and Whitworth, Tanya R. PhD, "Do State Child Abuse and Neglect Policies Address Sibling Abuse?" (2024). Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) Student Presentations. 583.
https://scholars.unh.edu/urc/583