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Responsible Use of Professional Power When Working With Ethnic Minority Victims/Survivors Of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA): Results From A Program Evaluation Study In Australia

A program on culturally sensitive service delivery for ethnic minority victims/survivors of child sexual abuse was delivered and evaluated over six months in Australia in 2019 using a mixed-methods design. This paper reports findings regarding ‘professional omnipotence’. At T1 82% and T2 71% of ‘talk therapists’ do not believe all mental illnesses can be treated with formal services, so are using professional power responsibly – without enabling false hope that formal services ‘can fix everything’. This attitude was independent of cultural background, but somewhat related to age and work experience. Although a strongly held view, the proportion did decrease suggesting the program nevertheless affirmed the utility of formal services. Practitioners who do believe all mental illnesses can be treated with formal services view this as a trauma-informed hope-inspiring approach. Approximately a third of service providers suggest additional self-help strategies but appear reluctant to suggest additional family and group therapy, likely reflecting practice wisdom – that group-based help may increase risk of harm rather than empower clients. The results contribute new and innovative empirical data, peer into the contradictions and complexities of ‘trauma-informed’ practice, and provide suggestions for future research on how professional power can be used responsibly with this highly marginalised group.