What Do Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse Believe Will Facilitate Early Disclosure of Sexual Abuse?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore what adult survivors of child sexual abuse (CSA) believe will facilitate early disclosure of sexual abuse. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 12 adult survivors of CSA aged 18–57 years, and analyzed the transcripts using reflexive thematic analysis. Our analysis resulted in three main themes: Adults making it possible to tell; Adults daring to consider the unthinkable; and Conveying knowledge of CSA that facilitates understanding. The findings highlighted the importance of adults facilitating disclosure and making it possible for survivors to tell about their experiences, but also the responsibility adults have to dare to consider the possibility of CSA when children struggle. Another important finding was the significance of enhancing the general population's understanding of the complexity of CSA, including why disclosure is difficult, so adults are given the tools needed to understand and know what to do when they suspect CSA. The findings also have important implications for the planning and implementation of interventions to facilitate early disclosure of CSA.

Clinical care of childhood sexual abuse: a systematic review and critical appraisal of guidelines from European countries

“…This finding is important in that, while quantitative validation of the trauma-informed approach is limited, 64 qualitative studies of survivors of sexual violence consistently demonstrate the benefits of this strategy in facilitating patient trust in the clinician and encouraging open discussion of patient needs. 62 , 63 , 65 , 66 Not surprisingly, other frequently mentioned items refer to practices that are part of routine clinical care, such as conducting a comprehensive assessment of physical and emotional health to guide examinations, treatment, and referrals, as well as adherence to mandatory reporting laws. These results are similar to findings from a recent systematic review of studies and protocols addressing treatment strategies and medical interventions related to CSA.…”

The body as a site of knowledge: Tacit and embodied narratives of child sexual abuse

“…It is important to inform adults about the signs for which to look, or as illustrated in this study, embodied stories of abuse, because it cannot be the responsibility of children or youth to disclose something as difficult as sexual abuse (Solberg et al, 2021). In the present study, participants narrated the different bodily attitudes and feelings they had as children, looking back, such as being anxious, feeling sad and depressed or angry and stressed.…”

“…Study findings demonstrate, however, the importance of being responsive to and curious about children’s bodily practices, embracing the messiness and confusion, when working with children exposed to sexual abuse or suspected of such. Research shows that adults may misinterpret children’s signs of sexual abuse (Flåm and Haugstvedt, 2013; Solberg et al, 2021; Stige et al, 2020), and Solberg et al (2021) pose the question: Why do the adults around victims so often seem either to not understand or to overlook the signs displayed by children and youth experiencing sexual abuse? This is a valid question, if complex.…”

“…However, the topic of child sexual abuse has not received attention, nor the fact that disclosure is often delayed (Alaggia, 2004; Plummer, 2006). Children report that they often ‘test’ and interpret how others react to what they say and do (Solberg et al, 2021). While a child may make a straightforward report after the first incident, they may also express what happened through abnormal behaviour, restlessness and an inability to concentrate in school.…”

Piloting an Alternative Implementation Modality for a School-Based Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Curriculum

“…The most prevalent, and cost-effective [11], primary prevention strategy in the U.S. involves universal school-based interventions, several of which have been shown to significantly increase children's self-protection awareness and skills [12][13][14]. Some interventions have also been associated with facilitating disclosures of abuse, an encouraging and crucial step in prevention [15,16]. However, for the past two decades, more than 60,000 children are consistently determined to be victims of CSA by child protective service systems [17].…”