Sexual Abuse Detection Through Drawing Workshop: E-Learning Contribution

Abstract

Sexual abuse is a common worldwide phenomenon, with severe physical and mental consequences. Yet its detection remains challenging due to a variety of factors. Sexual abuse detection through drawing shows promising results for the detection of sexual abuse. This study aims to evaluate the contribution to practice of a sexual abuse detection through drawing workshop, and to compare online and face-to-face versions of this program in term of skills and knowledge. The results of the study show that the detection of sexual abuse through drawing was improved through both the online and face-to-face formats of the workshop. There was no difference between the two formats of the workshop. Long-term contributions to practice were moderate. There was a decline in skills and knowledge in the three-month follow-up reports, emphasizing the need for further practice. The study concludes with the advantages of the e-learning format to sexual abuse detection training.

Keywords:

• E-learning
• sexual abuse
• drawing
• assessment

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kissos Limor

Limor Kissos is a registered art therapist and PhD student. Her areas of interest are individual differences in emotion perception in online therapy, and the use of technology in assessment and training.

Lev-Wiesel Rachel

Rachel Lev-Wiesel, PhD and professor, is the founder and former director of the Graduate School for Creative Arts Therapies at the University of Haifa. For the last seven years, she has served as the director of the Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center & the Sagol Lab for Children at Risk, at the University of Haifa. She has published about 150 scientific papers and seven books on the following issues: trauma, growth, child abuse, sexual abuse, violence, and use of drawings for assessment and therapeutic purposes. She is a licensed family therapist, and has long clinical experience with survivors of abuse across ages.

Czamanski-Cohen Johanna

Johanna Czamanski-Cohen, PhD, ATR, LPC (AZ) is a registered art therapist and licensed professional counselor in Arizona. Johanna completed her postdoctoral studies at the University of Arizona Cancer Center. She is a lecturer in the School of Creative Arts Therapies and a researcher in the Emili Sagol Creative Arts Therapies Research Center. The main focus of her research is advancing knowledge of mechanisms of art therapy in psycho-oncology and women’s health with a theoretical framework of the mind–body connection and psychosomatic medicine.