Siblings in the Context of Child Abuse: Where Should We Go from Here?

Child abuse has received extensive attention from researchers, policymakers, and practitioners and there is a broad consensus regarding its multiple and severe implications for all systems in victims’ lives. To date, however, most CA prevention and intervention efforts have targeted parents, professionals, and children, while neglecting to address its effect on siblings and their role as potential sources of support and protection, or as a risk factor for further abuse. This chapter discusses the following questions: How is the sibling subsystem important for prevention and intervention in CA cases? How is the sibling dynamic shaped in the context of CA? And how do CA policies, interventions, and prevention efforts address the sibling subsystem as a potential protective resource? In addressing these questions, this chapter maps future directions relevant to both researchers and policymakers worldwide.