This master’s thesis addresses the prevention of retraumatization in reporting and support procedures for victims of sexual abuse within social work centres. It is grounded in the recognition that individuals with a history of traumatic experiences – particularly childhood sexual abuse – are exposed to an increased risk of retraumatization in later life circumstances, including within systems intended to provide help and protection.
The theoretical section first examines the concepts of trauma and retraumatization, highlighting the conceptual ambiguity of the latter within diagnostic classifications, while noting a broad consensus in the literature that retraumatization refers to the reactivation of traumatic memories, affects, and physiological responses when individuals are exposed to stimuli reminiscent of the original trauma (Butler et al. 2017, 2–4; Duckworth & Follette 2012, 443–446; Figley at al. 2012, 569).
Special emphasis is placed on the neurobiological aspects of trauma and retraumatization, presenting changes in the functioning of the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex and their impact on memory, affect regulation, and stress responses (Bossé et al. 2018, 393–400; Shin & Liberzon, 2011, 311–322). The thesis further explores the specific characteristics of childhood sexual abuse, its long-term consequences, and the ways in which trauma manifests on affective, cognitive, and behavioural levels, including dissociation, difficulties in self-regulation, and engagement in high-risk behaviours.
The following section introduces trauma-informed practice as a key preventive framework for reducing the risk of retraumatization in social work. The thesis highlights the core principles of this approach – ensuring safety, predictability, respect, choice, and empowerment – and draws attention to the risk of unintentionally reproducing dynamics of power and control within institutional procedures (Bloom 2002, 19; Levenson 2017, 105–113, SAMHSA 2014, 1–27). An important component of the theoretical discussion is also the inclusion of the relational family paradigm, which emphasises the significance of relationship, affect regulation, and unconscious relational mechanisms when working with individuals with a history of trauma (Repič in Gostečnik 2017, 422–434).
The empirical section is based on a qualitative study conducted among social workers employed in social work centres and explores their understanding of trauma, their perception of retraumatization risks, and their experiences in working with victims of sexual abuse. The findings point to the crucial role of professional knowledge, ethical stance, and self-awareness of social workers in reducing victims’ distress, as well as to the need for the further development of systematic, trauma-sensitive approaches.
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