Abuse Quote by Michael Salter
““Some readers may find it a curious or even unscientific endeavour to craft a criminological model of organised abuse based on the testimony of survivors. One of the standard objections to qualitative research is that participants may lie or fantasise in interview, it has been suggested that adults who report severe child sexual abuse are particularly prone to such confabulation. Whilst all forms of research, whether qualitative or quantitative, may be impacted upon by memory error or false reporting. there is no evidence that qualitative research is particularly vulnerable to this, nor is there any evidence that a fantasy— or lie—prone individual would be particularly likely to volunteer for research into child sexual abuse. Research has consistently found that child abuse histories, including severe and sadistic abuse, are accurate and can be corroborated (Ross 2009, Otnow et al. 1997, Chu et al. 1999). Survivors of child abuse may struggle with amnesia and other forms of memory disturbance but the notion that they are particularly prone to suggestion and confabulation has yet to find a scientific basis. It is interesting to note that questions about the veracity of eyewitness evidence appear to be asked far more frequently in relation to sexual abuse and rape than in relation to other crimes. The research on which this book is based has been conducted with an ethical commitment to taking the lives and voices of survivors of organised abuse seriously.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Ethics of Research on Organised Abuse, 2021
Qualitative research on child sexual abuse is reliable despite concerns about memory and fabrication; evidence shows survivor accounts are accurate.
In simple terms: Survivor testimonies are trustworthy in research.
Key Takeaway
Trust survivor narratives in research.
Themes
research ethics
qualitative methods
memory
survivor testimony
Mood
critical
thoughtful
Type
analytical
explanatory
When to use this quote
- academic studies
- policy making
- clinical assessments
Key Concepts
credibility
evidence based practice
ethical standards
Questions to Reflect On
- How can researchers mitigate bias?
- What safeguards ensure accuracy?
A Different Perspective
Qualitative data still faces scrutiny and bias.
