ABSTRACT
An important part of a comprehensive assessment of a case where physical child abuse has occurred is the reconstruction of the abusive incident. To aid this assessment process, a sequential model of events which culminate in physical abuse is set out in Figure 19.1. The model is founded on an extensive empirical literature (Frude, 1990). Most abusive episodes occur in response to
Figure 19.1 Model of the sequence of events leading to an abusive act
a triggering behaviour by the child which the parent experiences as aversive. Surveys show common triggers are:
• crying • wetting • refusing to eat • stealing • lying • aggression.
