Part 6: Conclusions

Part Six is the final part in this dissertation and consists of three chapters and it is here conclusions are discussed. First findings from the empirical exploration is discussed with special focus of the social self, exclusion, negative self-evaluation, alienation, and the annihilation of trusting relationships. There seems in my opinion to be four major findings in these interviews. First of all it seems that the concept and phenomenon of shame is often used interchangeably with guilt by those who have experienced sexual abuse as children. Second, reports of self-harming and eating-disorders seem in to be more closely related to shame than to the sexual abuse as such. Third, Mother-Blaming and Mother-Shaming seems to be widespread amongst the participants. Fourth are those children and especially those who have experienced being sexually abused seemed to suffer from Child-Blaming and Child-Shaming in much the same way as mothers. Mother/Child-Blaming/Shaming results in my opinion in an immensely destructive spiral. Thereafter I discuss what I find to be the possible implications for social work on the background of the interviews that have been conducted. Special focus is here placed on inclusion, a positive self-evaluation, taking oneself back, practical wisdom, self-knowledge respect and recognition. The healing process of shame within the context of sexual abuse is discussed in this part. The major implication in my opinion on social work is that it seems imperative that helping people who suffer from shame within the context of sexual abuse demands that institutions and social workers first find the people asking for help and that the helping process where they are, first and foremost through helping them in their struggle for recognition and respect, by offering support, building a trusting relationship, and helping the person to have new person experiences with others which all together make it possible to create a new social-self. Part Six concludes with a summary of the six parts in this dissertation

Kaare T. Pettersen

Reference:

Pettersen,Kaare Torgny, 2009: An Exploration into the Concept and Phenomenon of Shamewithin the Context of Child Sexual Abuse. An Existential-Dialogical Perspectiveof Social Work within the Settings of a Norwegian Incest Centre. PhD 2009 Department of Social Work and HealthScience Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology Management. NorwegianUniversity of Science and Technology, NTNU, Trondheim, Norway. Doctoral theses 2009: 184