To read this content please select one of the options below:

Secondary traumatic stress in police officers investigating childhood sexual abuse

Amy-Kate Hurrell (University of Surrey, Guildford, UK)
Simon Draycott (Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK)
Leanne Andrews (School of Health and Human Sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, UK)

Policing: An International Journal

ISSN: 1363-951X

Article publication date: 30 April 2018

Issue publication date: 26 July 2018

1459

Abstract

Purpose

Previous research has indicated that helping professionals working with traumatised individuals are susceptible to adverse effects which can be recognised as secondary traumatic stress (STS). The purpose of this paper is to explore STS in police officer’s investigating childhood sexual abuse (CSA) in the UK.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed a cross-sectional, quantitative design. An online questionnaire was completed by 101 Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU) police officers in England and Wales. STS, coping strategies, anxiety, depression and demographic information was collected for all participants.

Findings

It was indicated that increased exposure to CSA, measured by number of interviews in the past six months, was associated with higher levels of STS. Positive coping strategies, negative coping strategies, anxiety and depression all had a strong, positive relationship with STS.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is a first step to understanding STS in CAIU police officers in the England and Wales. This area of research remains under-developed and would benefit from further attention in the future.

Originality/value

This is the first known study of its kind in the UK.

Keywords

Citation

Hurrell, A.-K., Draycott, S. and Andrews, L. (2018), "Secondary traumatic stress in police officers investigating childhood sexual abuse", Policing: An International Journal, Vol. 41 No. 5, pp. 636-650. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-08-2016-0131

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles