Sexual abuse by siblings more common than by a parent

SIBLING sexual abuse is more common than sexual abuse by a parent, according to the director of a treatment programme for young abusers.

“Why is sibling sexual abuse so under-reported and why is there a reluctance to talk about it and to take it seriously?” asked Joan Cherry, director of the Northside Inter-Agency Project, a community-based project in Dublin working with young people who have been abused and their families.

Ms Cherry, one of the keynote speakers at the Irish Association of Social Workers conference annual meeting, which takes place today in Dublin, said early detection and intervention are essential.

“Critical reflection is needed to effectively address social problems. Relying on procedures, codes of ethics and legal judgments alone is not enough.”

Chris Clark, professor of social work ethics at the University of Edinburgh, is the second keynote speaker. He will explore the complexities of ethical dilemmas in social work practice through the questions raised above.

Declan Coogan, spokes-man for the IASW, noted that this year’s conference takes place in the context of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council and the statutory registration of many clinicians and practitioners, including social workers.

“Social workers are gathering in Dublin, anticipating and welcoming registration while exploring complex ethical dilemmas,” he said, adding that the themes of some of the afternoon workshops include the use of surveillance technology in dementia care; ethical dilemmas in multi-disciplinary work; working with young people who assault their carers; ethical dilemmas for social workers who are also managers; and international adoptions in the context of the Hague Convention.

Young people who assault their parents and the tagging of elderly people living in care are among other issues that will be discussed at today’s conference.