Change search
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf
Patterns of disclosure and perceived societal responses after child sexual abuse
Marie Cederschiöld University, Department of Social Sciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-3352-8250
Marie Cederschiöld University, Department of Social Sciences.ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1790-2732
Marie Cederschiöld University, Department of Social Sciences.
2022 (English)In: International Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect, ISSN 0145-2134, E-ISSN 1873-7757, Vol. 134, article id 105914Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

BACKGROUND: Disclosure of child sexual abuse (CSA) is key for abused children to access help and to protect them and other children.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate patterns of disclosure of child sexual abuse and how children perceived responses from people they disclosed to.

PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Data were collected online in classrooms and during home studies in a national probability-based sample of 3282 third-year students in Swedish high schools in 2020-2021 (the age of the students varied between 16 and 23 years (M = 18,2)).

METHODS: Results are presented with frequencies (n) and percentages (%). Pearson's chi-squared test was used for comparisons between groups.

RESULTS: First, a substantial share of abused girls and most abused boys had not yet told anyone about the abuse, leaving them unable to access protection or rehabilitation. Second, participants who had disclosed sexual abuse had most often turned to a peer, more rarely to an adult, and seldom to a professional or volunteer. Third, although the societal responses that the participants perceived were mixed, more severe abuse was associated with more negative societal responses. Fourth, most participants stated that they did not need any professional support. Fifth, among the minority who had sought help, half were satisfied and a third dissatisfied.

CONCLUSIONS: Results showed that most children with experience of CSA did not have access to the protection, support, and rehabilitation that they have a right to. Preventive measures need to target children and young people, while societal responses after CSA, especially severe CSA, need to be improved.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2022. Vol. 134, article id 105914
Keywords [en]
Child sexual abuse, Disclosure, Rehabilitation, Societal response, Support
National Category
Social Work
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:esh:diva-9855DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2022.105914ISI: 000878629700007PubMedID: 36270071OAI: oai:DiVA.org:esh-9855DiVA, id: diva2:1705849
Available from: 2022-10-24 Created: 2022-10-24 Last updated: 2022-11-28Bibliographically approved

Open Access in DiVA

No full text in DiVA

Other links

Publisher's full textPubMed

Authority records

Landberg, ÅsaSvedin, Carl GöranJonsson, Linda Sofia

Search in DiVA

By author/editor
Landberg, ÅsaSvedin, Carl GöranJonsson, Linda Sofia
By organisation
Department of Social Sciences
In the same journal
International Journal of Child Abuse & Neglect
Social Work

Search outside of DiVA

GoogleGoogle Scholar

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn

Altmetric score

doi
pubmed
urn-nbn
Total: 197 hits
CiteExportLink to record
Permanent link

Direct link
Cite
Citation style
  • apa
  • ieee
  • modern-language-association-8th-edition
  • vancouver
  • Other style
More styles
Language
  • de-DE
  • en-GB
  • en-US
  • fi-FI
  • nn-NO
  • nn-NB
  • sv-SE
  • Other locale
More languages
Output format
  • html
  • text
  • asciidoc
  • rtf