Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1517916
7 Unity SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2024 I had just wrapped up a workshop fo- cusing on mitigating the effects of child abuse and was putting my laptop away as the room rapidly emptied with peo- ple scurrying away for lunch, when I noticed one of the participants, a lady in her early sixties, still sitting in her chair. "Not hungry?", I asked her. "Not real- ly", she replied. I sat beside her for the lunch hour as, with tears slowly rolling down her face, she gave me a harrow- ing account of the years of sexual abuse and psychological torture she had endured as a young girl at the hands of her mother's, now deceased, brother – a sto- ry that she had smothered for close to fifty years. Time seemed to stand still, and the sounds of life fad- ed out as we sat, a l o n e , e n c a p - su- lated in a bubble of inconceivable suffer- ing. "I'm blown over by your resilience", I heard myself saying as she stopped to take a breath. "What makes you think I had a choice?" she swiftly countered. "I was always made to think it was my fault". Last year, the Faculty for Social Well- being carried out a research study ti- tled 'Protecting our children – Explor- ing and preventing child abuse' (2023) which placed the scourge of abuse and neglect perpetuated in our community under scrutiny to unpack the various contextually-based elements particu- lar to our nation that have rendered it particularly difficult to address. The ultimate aim was to provide those who plan, implement and run services in the community with the data required to increase their effectiveness. So, by means of an anonymous survey, per- sons affected by abuse and neglect were invited to tell their stories, and these stories were harrowing. Even in the most developed of coun- tries, survivors of abuse and neglect who manage to ask for assistance of- ten face waits, months and years long, for support that is usually time-limit- ed and patchy. The situation in Mal- ta appears to be no different. Despite increased awareness through educa- tional campaigns and school-based in- terventions, continued efforts to make resources and services more readily available and emphasis on the rights of children, from the study carried out, it is very evident that the monster called child abuse is very much still lurking in the shadows of our community. Suffice to say that participating adults who had experienced abuse in their childhood, exposed realities of abuse often involving a combination of mul- tiple types of abuse. They recounted how this abuse was often perpetuated for years, particularly by those who they trusted the most – their mothers, fathers, relatives and educators. Notwithstanding the undisputed impact of child abuse stretching into adulthood and permeating all aspects of life – physical and mental health, education, relationships, parenting, self-concept and identity, employ- ment – reporting and seeking support by those experiencing it is often very problematic. Amongst participants in this study, 73% reported that they nev- er sought support for the child abuse experienced. Additionally, of the few who did seek support, 30% of them expressed not finding the support re- ceived to be helpful, with many saying that it was either not the type of sup- port they needed, or that the support provided did nothing to improve their situation and, to the contrary, even served to intensify the abuse. Almost one third of participants only man- aged to seek support ten years or more after the abuse had stopped. The responses were heart-break- ing to read. The now-older survivors wished they had been supported to stop the abuse and take action, in a way that did not leave them feeling further victimized; they wished having felt understood and listened to, that the abuse had not been brushed un- der the carpet; or not told to do their best to stay away from 'provoking' the perpetrator of their abuse; they wished they had received guidance when they needed it most by people who accom- panied them throughout the after- math, who understood how difficult it was for them to trust, and how crucial it was for their trust not to be broken again. Very few recounted having had a "light-bulb moment", a moment of realisation that they were not to blame for the abuse, with many writing about the shame and guilt they still felt, be- lieving that they were somehow re- sponsible for the abuse. As persons engaged with our com- munities in the pursuit of social wellbeing; as stakeholders in the for- mation of therapeutic professionals, the creation and implementation of therapeutic and rehabilitative ser- vices; and the development of social policy, the narratives of all those who found no one to turn to in their hour of need should be a veritable bucket of ice-water: it ought to jolt us right out of the thick skin of comforting com- placency that at least 'something' is being done. The gluttony for power and penchant for cruelty that seems to be firmly rooted in the human psyche, realistically speaking, will make it im- possible to eradicate child abuse and maltreatment from our communities. But at least what we can do we must do well. We are privileged to tend to the wounds and scars caused by child abuse, to assist in mending lives. May we never cease in our efforts until every child's pain is assuaged. What we can do... what we must do well Despite increased awareness, continued efforts to make services more readily available, the monster called child abuse is very much still lurking in the shadows of our community Dr Roberta Attard Department of Counselling Survey objectives The survey illustrates a variety of stressful life events and their impact upon respondents, providing data that helps scholar understand how such events are perceived and processed by sufferers. The objectives of the study were to investigate the prevalence and fre- quency of stressful life experiences across the lifespan of a representative sample of the Maltese population and the perceived level of physical, social and psychological stress generated by these events. "Understanding the relationship be- tween stressful life experiences and physical and mental wellbeing is im- portant for public health planning and resource allocation," said Dr Anna Grech, lecturer in psychology at the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, said on the results of the survey. "It is also crucial for the promotion of effective trauma informed preventa- tive measures and treatment strategies. This study helps identify groups that are more susceptible to the negative effects of stress, enabling the develop- ment of targeted interventions to sup- port these populations." The empirical data is part of the Fac- ulty's continued service to scholars, students, PhD candidates and the social sector for evidence-based research. "It is incredible how past traumas or stressful circumstances have an imprint on our lives. This research indicates the impact trau- ma has on peo- ple's lives and s u b s e q u e n t decision-mak- ing," said Prof. Andrew Az- z o p a r d i , Dean of the Fac- ulty.