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Child Abuse & Neglect
Volume 29, Issue 12, December 2005, Pages 1395-1413
 
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doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2005.07.004    How to Cite or Link Using DOI (Opens New Window)
Copyright © 2005 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.

Reporting possible sexual abuse: A qualitative study on children's perspectives and the context for disclosurestar, open

Tine K. Jensena, b, Corresponding Author Contact Information, Wenke Gulbrandsenc, Svein Mossiged, Sissel Reichelta and Odd Arne Tjerslanda

aUniversity of Oslo, Department of Psychology, P.O. 1094, N-0317 Oslo, Norway bNorwegian Center for Violence and Traumatic Stress Studies, Oslo, Norway cNydalen Psychiatric Treatment Center for Children, Oslo, Norway dNorwegian Social Research, Oslo, Norway

Received 22 September 2003; 
revised 4 July 2005; 
accepted 21 July 2005. 
Available online 15 November 2005.

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Abstract

Objective

The present study investigated the context in which children were able to report their child sexual abuse experiences and the children's views as to what made it difficult to talk about abuse and what helped them in the disclosing process. The aim was to study disclosures as they were occurring in their natural settings.

Method

Data were obtained from therapeutic sessions and follow-up interviews from 20 families with 22 children. These children had said something that made their caregivers concerned about ongoing child sexual abuse. Qualitative analysis was conducted to capture the children's and caregiver's perspectives of the disclosure process.

Results

The children felt it was difficult to find situations containing enough privacy and prompts that they could share their experiences. They also were sensitive to others reactions, and whether their disclosures would be misinterpreted. When the children did disclose they did it in situations where the theme of child sexual abuse was in some form addressed or activated. The results indicate that disclosure is a fundamentally dialogical process that becomes less difficult if the children perceive that there is an opportunity to talk, and a purpose for speaking, and a connection has been established to what they are talking about.

Conclusions

It is difficult for children to initiate a conversation about something secret, confusing and distressful, and where there are few conversational routines in a family for talking about such themes. Children also are sensitive to the needs of their caregivers and fear consequences for their family and offender. Children need a supportive structure or scaffold in order to reveal their experiences of child sexual abuse.

Résumé

French-language abstract not available at time of publication.

Resumen

Spanish-language abstract not available at time of publication.

Keywords: Sexual abuse; Children; Disclosure; Development

Article Outline

Introduction
Method
Participants
Procedure
Analysis
Results
Initiating a dialogue
Contact with the suspected offender as a trigger for disclosure
Interpreting symptoms
Perceived consequences for mother
Consequences for the children
Perceived consequences for the suspected offender and the family
Perceived support
A joint focus of attention
Discussion
Limitations
Acknowledgements
References

Child Abuse & Neglect
Volume 29, Issue 12, December 2005, Pages 1395-1413
 
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