• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.657-666
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• 2022

This study was conducted to verify the effect of integrated therapy program on the self-esteem, self-expression, and sexual self-determination of sexually abused women with intellectual disabilities. The subjects of this study were 8 victims who were referred to the Sexual Violence Relief Center for women with intellectual disabilities in K-area. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated to statistical significance though the pre- and post-test using the SPSS Win 25.0 program. The integrated therapy program significantly improved the self-esteem of victims(t=-4.183, p<0.001). Self-expression was significantly improved(t=-5.103, p<0.001). It was also observed that the change in behavior was positively reinforced in the sexual self-determination(t=-26.346, p<0.001). The results of this study suggest that integrated therapy program should be actively used for psychological and emotional healing of sexual assault victims with intellectual disabilities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.382-395
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• 2017

This study attempted to examine how sexually abused women with intellectual disability living in residential care facilities interact with their environment, such as personal life, family and communities, and to identify contextual characteristics and needs of these women. Qualitative case study method was adopted, and data was collected through individual and intake interviews, participant observation and a survey with 11 participants residing in a residential care facility for sexually abused women with intellectual disability. The results showed that participants struggled with stresses and emotional instability affected by traumatic experiences of sexual abuse. Family was a system that sexual abused took place, while the systems of residential facilities protected them from potential dangers and violence. Work and school systems also provided them opportunities of learning and having dreams in the future. However, the community system which participants would live after discharging from the facility, had risk factors vulnerable to sexual violence against participants. In conclusion, this study suggested diverse services and programs, such as professional psychotherapy programs, integrated support programs for victim and their families and provision of professional care facilities.

• Korean Journal of Forensic Psychology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.211-239
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• 2020

This study examined characteristics and judges' judgments regarding sexual violence cases against individuals with intellectual disabilities by analyzing total 716 cases of court decision. Of 716 cases, 6.0% sentenced not guilty, 53.5% imprisonment, 36.7% suspended sentence. More than half of the victims had experienced sexual assault more than one time with the tendency of repeating being higher when the accused were relatives or acquaintances to the victims. In half of the total cases, the victims were not able to specify the time of incidents. Only in 20% of the cases, there was actual compulsion but in the remaining cases, there was no clear coercion used during the crimes. There are three issues regarding court's decision of sexual assault case against individuals with intellectually disabilities; (1) credibility of victims' statement, (2) inability of resist during the crimes, and (3) whether the accused were aware of the victims's disabilities. In the judgment of credibility of statement, consistency of statement was the criterion that was used most frequently, being followed by specificity of statement, motivation for false accusation, cognitive capacity of victim, and reports of statement validity analysis in the order. The most frequently used criterion of inability to resist was the victim's statement and attitude, followed by the statement and attitude of the accused, the victim's knowledge and understanding of sexuality in the order. Regarding to the awareness of disabilities on the part of the accused, the statement and attitude of the accused was most frequently used, the victims' communicative abilities, duration of relationship, and daily life competence in the order. There were no differences in the rulings and issues according to levels of disabilities and gender. When victims were under 13 credibility of statement became more argues but the awareness of disabilities less frequently than the cases of victims who were 13 or older.

• Korean Journal of Forensic Psychology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2021

This study analyzed the use of expert reports in the investigations and trials of cases of sexual violence against people with intellectual disabilities. A total of 670 alleged sexual assault cases against victims with intellectual disabilities were analyzed. Results showed that 97.5% of the cases included at least one expert report. In most cases(91%), the expert reports of statement validity assessment were included. Additionally, doctor's note (41.1%) from obstetricians and Psychiatrists, intermediary reports(36%), and expert witnesses(psychologists') reports (9.5%) were included. In 80 cases (44.4%) of the 180 cases in which a victim' statement credibility was in question during the trial, judges cited the expert's reports of statement validity assessment as the basis for the judgment on the reliability of the victims' accusation. The frequency of citing the report was higher when the victim was under the age of 13, or when the defendant was found guilty. Regrading the report content, the evaluations of criteria-based content analysis(CBCA) was most frequently cited, while the victim's psychological status, cognitive limitation, as well as possibile contamination of victim's account, were also mentioned in the ruling statements. Results showed agreement between experts' statement validity assessments and judges' determinations in 79 cases out of the 80 cases Finally, this study discussed ways to utilize expert options.

• Korean Journal of Forensic Psychology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.323-341
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• 2021

This study examined public perceptions of the reasons underlying sentence reduction for defendants convicted of sex crimes against persons with intellectual disability. An online survey was conducted among 522 adults in South Korea. Respondent endorsement of 20 reasons underlying sentence reduction, which were embedded within the respective rulings, and the perceived appropriateness of statutory sentence for the crimes committed were assessed. The results showed that most respondents endorsed the sentence; moreover, those who disagreed underscored the need for more severe punishment. Almost all the respondents perceived the following reasons and explanations unfavorably: impulsiveness caused by sexual arousal or alcohol consumption; an accidental occurrence; and personal characteristics such as defendant age, health condition, socioeconomic status, developmental history, and family background. However, there was a relative agreement in that the damage caused by the incident was relatively minor, or the defendant's reflection and attitude to recover the damage were used as reasons for the reduction. Differences in respondent perceptions of the reasons underlying sentence reduction as a function of gender and educational background were relatively small. However, younger respondents held harsher attitudes toward sentence reduction. The present findings underscore the need to be mindful of victims' statements and the characteristics of persons with intellectual disability while sentencing.