Amy Adams
Thesis Title: An exploration of the quality and dynamics of sibling relationships, in the context of sibling sexual abuse.
Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is estimated to be three times as common as child sexual abuse committed by parents (Yates and Allardyce, 2021). There are no universal agreed criteria differentiating harmless sibling sexual behaviour and SSA, but there is consensus that SSA typically includes behaviours which are not age appropriate, are severe in nature, and are not motivated by age-appropriate curiosity (Yates and Allardyce, 2021). Often siblings are seen as equals, and power differentials within the relationship are frequently overlooked (Punch, 2008). However, a common feature of sibling dyads is the interplay of power dynamics, which may be influenced by age, birth order, sex and culture (Dunn, 2007). In spite of the recognised importance and complexity of sibling relations there is a deficit of research understanding the qualities and dynamics of sexually abusive sibling relationships.
This PhD will make an original contribution to knowledge, through exploring what impact childhood SSA has on adult victim-survivors, and how SSA affects the quality and dynamics of sibling relations across the lifespan. A qualitative paradigm and a method of narrative inquiry will be adopted. Semi-structured interviews will be used to gather retrospective narratives from SSA adult victim-survivors, about how they make sense of their sibling relationships across the life-span. To analyse the data narrative thematic analysis will be used. This research will generate new knowledge that will provide families, professionals, and policymakers with a more evidence-based understanding of the multidimensional nature of sexually abusive sibling relationships, alongside providing meaningful contributions to existing sibling theory.
Biography
Amy is an ESRC 1+3 funded student and will be completing a PhD in Social Policy; her topic area and interests are sibling sexual abuse, sibling relationships and harmful sexual behaviours . Previously she was a project officer on the Rape Crisis England and Wales sibling sexual abuse project, where she first authored a report titled ‘Establishing the prevalence of sibling sexual abuse as reported to and recorded by Police Forces across England and Wales’. Alongside this Amy has worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Edinburgh where she contributed to conducting a Scoping Review to understand and map current sibling sexual abuse literature.
Publications
Adams, A., & Crosby, E. (2022). Establishing the prevalence of sibling sexual abuse as reported to and recorded by police forces across England and Wales. https://www.sarsas.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/SARSAS-SSAP-FOI-Report_9957_1.10.pdf
Social Policy
Birmingham
2022 Cohort, 1+3
Supervisory Team
Prof Harry Ferguson
Dr Sophie King-Hill