Professionals’ Experiences With and Perceptions of Children Exposed to Severe and Homicidal Violence in Sweden

ABSTRACT

The present study aimed to examine professionals’ experiences, perceptions, and knowledge regarding violence-exposed children in order to clarify the status and opportunities these children have in the Swedish legal system. A questionnaire was distributed to 63 professionals, representing police, prosecutors, social personnel, and treatment personnel. Findings revealed several problems that hindered effective work. Routines and guidelines were lacking and knowledge gaps regarding these children were found among all professions. Perceptions that children remember and tell were widely held, although conditions enabling sufficient reports are seldom met. Results can be used to guide necessary changes in national routines and guidelines to ensure recovery and maintaining of societal rights of this group of psychologically abused victims.

KEYWORDS:

• child abuse
• family/domestic violence
• qualitative methods
• victim’s rights

Funding

This research was a part of a research project regarding children exposed to violence in Sweden and was financially supported by grant #03563/2011 from the Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority.

Notes

1. The terminology used in this study is in line with recommendations by Holden (2003), who stated that exposed should be used instead of witnessed or observed, for it includes different types of experiences and does not assume that the child actually saw the violence (e.g., overhears or experiences the aftermath).

2. In Swedish law, a public notice for preliminary investigation (Förundersökningskungörelse 1947:948) declares that no more investigative interviews than absolutely necessary should be held with children.

3. The calculation of alpha is: α = 1 − (1 − α’)^c, where α’ is the error rate for any comparison and c is the number of significance tests (Howell, 2013). The 26 significance tests (13 t-tests and 13 regression analyses) gave an actual risk for type I error of 73.65% (1 − (1 − .05)²⁶ = 1 − .2635 = .7365).

Additional information

Funding

This research was a part of a research project regarding children exposed to violence in Sweden and was financially supported by grant #03563/2011 from the Swedish Crime Victim Compensation and Support Authority.