The impact of sexual abuse as portrayed by Israeli social workers through the victim impact statement

The current study reveals the forms of harm that Israeli social workers choose to portray to the judge through victim impact statements (VIS); what they choose to highlight; as well as the harmful aspects they choose to overlook. The study adopted an inductive-narrative approach; that is, the categories, themes, and patterns of analysis emerged from the data rather than being imposed by the outsiders. All statements focued on the same six themes: the child's emotional reactions; the child's behavioral, cognitive, and psychophysiological difficulties; the parents' emotional responses; the family's restructuring; the victim's recommendations for punishment; and the social worker's diagnosis and prognosis. The similarities among the victims' statements lead to several research and practical implications.