Gendered Attributions of Blame and Failure to Protect in Child Welfare Responses to Sexual Abuse: A Feminist Critical Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Gender-based relations of power and attributions of blame for child sexual abuse have been longstanding in child welfare policy and practice. Nonoffending mothers continue to be ascribed responsibility through the ideologically and institutionally entrenched doctrine of failure to protect. Feminist critical discourse analysis was used to (a) expose and disrupt dominant discourses of gender, motherhood, and risk that operate to construct and reinforce notions of blame and failure to protect, as enacted by way of child welfare text in context; and (b) build a credible case for social and organizational change grounded in an alternative discourse with greater explanatory power. Progressive avenues for resistance, negotiation, and transformation are proposed.

Exploring feminist political economy and feminist critical discourse analysis as methodologies in critical nursing research

“…Feminist CDA research from various social science disciplines interrogates dominant gender norms, across various topic areas of interest to nursing, frequently violence (Azzopardi, 2022; Jovanovski & Tyler, 2018); body‐related functions (e.g., milk sharing [Carter et al, 2015]; menstruation suppression [McMillan & Jenkins, 2016]); or are critiques of health policies and texts (e.g., Burnett et al, 2015; Harkness & Cheyne, 2019). In nursing studies that use CDA with a gendered lens, some focus has been closely related to discursive matters at work.…”

“…From the broader social science literature, it is clear that feminist CDA is employed in order to look at the taken‐for‐granted gendered assumptions, inequalities and inequities in discourses, pointing, for example, to discourses that maintain patriarchal or “toxic masculinity.” For example, Alves and Cavalhieri (2021) revealed persistence of gender and racial exploitation through discourses in online sex‐buyer forums, which served to reinforce gender norms and male dominance. These discourses may be obvious, but just as often, they are subtle, for example, laying blame in a gendered pattern (Azzopardi, 2022).…”

“…For example, Alves and Cavalhieri (2021) revealed persistence of gender and racial exploitation through discourses in online sex-buyer forums, which served to reinforce gender norms and male dominance. These discourses may be obvious, but just as often, they are subtle, for example, laying blame in a gendered pattern (Azzopardi, 2022).…”

Prevalence and Factors Associated with Sexual Violence against Children in a Brazilian State

“…Society sees women as fragile and submissive, being considered men’s satisfaction objects. We must understand these different power relations and transform the social norms that stereotype women and children [ 28 , 29 ]. We also inferred that the proportion of boys is underreported due to the prejudices and stigmas they suffer after violence due to their masculinity and gender identity.…”

“…What is seen is that women, especially those who represent the maternal role, become conniving with the situation experienced by the child, not only for fear of losing their partner, but also as an attempt to preserve the family [ 2 , 6 ], since one of the main measures adopted after the complaint is the removal of the offenders from the child’s household. Moreover, the fact that the child is a victim of violence can also generate feelings of failure in the mother, since maternity is related to the role of protection and care [ 29 , 40 ]. This omission also represents violence against children since neglect hampers the denounce and contributes to keep children in the violent cycle.…”