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International Journal of Studies in Psychology

South African Council for EducatorsRef: https://www.sace.org.za/assets/documents/uploads/sace_23733-2026-06-24-Behind_the_Case_File.pdf

Official source

Source domain: sace.org.za

Collected on 28 June 2026

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Our copy (archived 9 July 2026)Official source

What this means

The document is an open-access journal article titled 'Behind the case files: The psychological toll of investigating sexual and corporal abuse in South African schools.' It reports on a qualitative PALAR study that examines the psychological impact on South African Council for Educators (SACE) investigators handling school abuse cases, identifies seven interrelated stress themes, and recommends systemic reforms including psychosocial support, debriefing, clear roles, interdepartmental coordination, and trauma-informed training.

Facts

Places

Northern Cape

Reference

https://www.sace.org.za/assets/documents/uploads/sace_23733-2026-06-24-Behind_the_Case_File.pdf

Key Takeaways

  • title: Behind the case files: The psychological toll of investigating sexual and corporal abuse in South African schools
  • authors: Phumuzani Mpofu, Simangele Mayisela, Tuzana Sophethe, Ella Mokgalane
  • affiliations: Department of Psychology, University of the Witwatersrand; Research Unit, South African Council of Educators
  • methodology: PALAR design, semi-structured interviews with 16 investigators from 6 provinces
  • themes: seven identified psychological strain factors (threats to safety, vicarious trauma, secondary traumatization, systemic obstruction, role overload, ethical dissonance, helplessness)
  • recommendations: psychosocial support, formal debriefing, clear roles, interdepartmental coordination, trauma-informed training
  • subject: psychological toll on SACE investigators in cases of sexual and corporal abuse in schools
  • publication details: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 8-14, 2026; GAERPSY Publishing; CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
  • keywords: Moral injury, Participatory action research, Psychological distress, SACE investigators, Secondary traumatic stress, Vicarious trauma