He ara whakaora i whaia e atahi wahine i tukinohia = Long term effects of childhood sexual abuse among Maori women: A healing path for abused women

Abstract

He Ara Whakaora I Whaia E Etahi Wahine I Tukinohia: A Healing Path for Abused Women is a qualitative study of long term effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse among Maori women. Thirteen Maori women of diverse ages, sexual orientations, socioeconomic, religious, and tribal backgrounds shared their life experiences in a series of semistructured interviews. The women describe the physical, social and emotional impact the sexual abuse had on them. lndepth case studies are used to explore how these women rallied their personal, interpersonal, and social resources to survive the abuse, and ultimately find a way of healing. A theoretical synthesis comprising Tikanga Maori, Ecological Psychology, Social Systems theory, and Feminist theory is used to shed light on the participants' narratives. They also identify characteristics of their perpetrators, most were male and all but one was a trusted individual. A culturally competent model of healing for Maori survivors of sexual abuse was generated from the collective survival and healing strategies described by the participants.