Social workers’ perspectives on the use of emotional-support dogs during the testimony of child sexual-abuse victims in South African criminal courts

Abstract

In this study the researcher considers that the criminal court process can be incredibly intimidating to children, and therefor extra protective measures should be set in place to prevent that the child witness experiences any further trauma or stress. The researcher found the use of emotional-support animals during the child sexual-abuse victim’s testimony a one of the protective measures that is being implemented in different court systems around the world. This article focuses on the perspectives of forensic social workers on the use of emotional- support dogs during the testimony of child sexual-abuse victims in criminal courts in South Africa. The aim of the study is to explore, from forensic social work perspectives, the benefits and the challenges when using emotional-support dogs for child sexual abuse victims testifying in criminal court proceedings. A qualitative and explorative study design was followed by conducting semi-structured interviews with eight social workers employed by and affiliated with The Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children (TTBC) and two dog handlers from Touch Our Pets therapy dogs (Top Dogs). All the participants are SOCIAL WORKERS’ PERSPECTIVES ON THE USE OF EMOTIONAL-SUPPORT DOGS DURING THE TESTIMONY OF CHILD SEXUAL-ABUSE VICTIMS IN SOUTH AFRICAN CRIMINAL COURTS

involved in, or aware of, the emotional-support animals programme implemented by TTBC.