Editorial

In this issue we are focusing on Child
 Abuse, primarily of a sexual kind. There has 
been much publicity of this area in recent times
 and the secrecy around the scale of such abuse
 is being exploded. This has been immensely 
valuable to the culture as a whole and to the
 therapeutic world in particular.

It is, however, not without its attendant
 dangers. These dangers come in a number of 
forms. Firstly, with the advent of this new
 awareness, many clients can become obsessed
 with a question about whether “I was or was
 not sexually abused”. This can be used defens
ively to avoid contact with and the working
 through of a wide range of other abuses of a
 physical and emotional nature.

Secondly, there can be a danger of 
pathologizing the existence of any sexual
 energy in adult/child contact. As Lilly Pincus 
in “Secrets in the Family” (1979) states
”…the child who has not been desired by a
 parent looses out …” This issue has indeed put
 pressure on many parent/child relationships in
 what can be a detrimental way.

With these issues held in our awareness we
 can face the therapeutic task involved in
 dealing with child abuse from a sensible and 
sensitive perspective.

We believe you will find our contributors 
helpful in this instance.

In keeping with our policy of letting you 
know in advance of future themes, the Spring 
issue will focus on Dreams and their place in
 Therapy. The Summer issue will focus on
 aspects of Transpersonal Psychotherapy.