Unpacking Race, Culture, and Class in Rural Alaska: Native and Non-Native Multidisciplinary Professionals' Perceptions of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to unpack notions of class, culture, and race as they relate to multidisciplinary team (MDT) professionals and their perceptions of prevalence in child sexual abuse cases in Native and non-Native rural Alaska communities. Power and privilege within professional settings is significant for all social work professionals and influences the ways in which systemic issues of power and privilege mediate decision making. Fifteen MDT participants from two separate rural communities were interviewed. Emergent themes include perceptions on incidences and reporting of child sexual abuse, cultural dissonance, and systemic challenges. Policy and practice implications are discussed.

Keywords:

• child sexual abuse
• multidisciplinary teams
• Alaska Natives
• cultural dissonance
• rural

This study was conducted as part of a grant awarded by the College of Applied Human Sciences at Colorado State University.

Notes

1. The terminology used in this study for Anglo-Americans is non-Natives. Therefore, when participants refer to “non-Natives,” they usually but not exclusively are referring to Anglo-Americans, or “whites.” “Person of color” is used to protect the identities of Latino/a, African-American and Asian professionals working in rural Alaska who participated in this study