Disclosing the Trauma of Child Sexual Abuse: A Gender Analysis
Abstract
This study qualitatively explored dynamics that impede or promote disclosure of child sexual abuse. Findings on the impact of gender on disclosure are reported based on data from 30 in-depth interviews of adult survivors. While there were strong similarities, noteworthy differences connected to gender and disclosure emerged. The overall trend was toward delaying disclosure, and for those who tried to disclose in childhood, attempts were often made in behavioral or indirect verbal ways. However, males reported difficulty disclosing because they feared being viewed as homosexual and as victims. Women's difficulties centered on feeling conflicted about responsibility, and they more strongly anticipated being blamed or not believed. Findings are linked to therapeutic work with traumatic loss.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Men in particular are afraid of experiencing stigmatization and being perceived as a victim or labeled as "unmanly", weak, or gay.
“For example, as previous research on sexual victimization suggests, men in particular are afraid of experiencing stigmatization and being perceived as a victim or labeled as “unmanly”, weak, or gay (Alaggia, 2005; Edwards et al., 2023).”
From Why They Speak Up (or Don’t): Reasons For and Against Cybergrooming Disclosure Among Adolescent Victims (2025) · cites this paper as Alaggia, 2005
Cites
Basics of Qualitative Research
Ozanne, J. L., Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (1992) · Journal of Marketing Research · doi:10.2307/3172751 · Cited by 17,852 · see citing works
(1990) · Cited by 11,110 · see citing works
McCracken, G. (1988) · Sage eBooks · doi:10.4135/9781412986229 · Cited by 5,220 · see citing works
Complex PTSD: A syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated trauma
Herman, J. L. (1992) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.2490050305 · Cited by 2,609 · see citing works
The traumatic impact of child sexual abuse: A conceptualization.
Finkelhor, D., & Browne, A. (1985) · American Journal of Orthopsychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1985.tb02703.x · Cited by 1,891 · see citing works
Traumatic stress: the effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society
(1996) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.34-2469 · Cited by 1,818 · see citing works
The Body Keeps the Score: Memory and the Evolving Psychobiology of Posttraumatic Stress
van der Kolk, B. A. (1994) · Harvard Review of Psychiatry · doi:10.3109/10673229409017088 · Cited by 1,367 · see citing works
The child sexual abuse accomodation syndrome
Summit, R. C. (1983) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(83)90070-4 · Cited by 1,006 · see citing works
Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update.
Finkelhor, D. (1990) · Professional Psychology Research and Practice · doi:10.1037/0735-7028.21.5.325 · Cited by 562 · see citing works
Why children tell: a model of children’s disclosure of sexual abuse
Goodman-Brown, T. B., Edelstein, R. S., Goodman, G. S., Jones, D. P. H., & Gordon, D. S. (2003) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(03)00037-1 · Cited by 560 · see citing works
To seek help or not to seek help: The risks of self-disclosure.
Vogel, D. L., & Wester, S. (2003) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.50.3.351 · Cited by 548 · see citing works
Factors influencing children to self-disclose sexual abuse
Paine, M. L., & Hansen, D. J. (2002) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/s0272-7358(01)00091-5 · Cited by 502 · see citing works
A Disclosure Decision Model: Determining How and When Individuals Will Self-Disclose
Omarzu, J. (2000) · Personality and Social Psychology Review · doi:10.1207/s15327957pspr0402_05 · Cited by 494 · see citing works
Delay in disclosure of childhood rape: results from a national survey
Smith, D. W., Letourneau, E. J., Saunders, B. E., Kilpatrick, D. G., Resnick, H. S., & Best, C. L. (2000) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(99)00130-1 · Cited by 461 · see citing works
Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society
Scrignar, C. B. (1997) · Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/s0005-7916(97)81866-6 · Cited by 456 · see citing works
Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence — from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror
Corcoran, C. (1994) · Psychology of Women Quarterly · doi:10.1111/j.1471-6402.1994.tb00301.x · Cited by 429 · see citing works
Maternal support following disclosure of incest.
Everson, M. D., Hunter, W. M., Runyon, D. K., Edelsohn, G. A., & Coulter, M. L. (1989) · American Journal of Orthopsychiatry · doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1989.tb01651.x · Cited by 348 · see citing works
How children tell: the process of disclosure in child sexual abuse.
Sorensen, T., & Snow, B. (1991) · PubMed · Cited by 338 · see citing works
Consequences of revealing personal secrets.
Kelly, A. E., & McKillop, K. J. (1996) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.120.3.450 · Cited by 335 · see citing works
Many ways of telling: expanding conceptualizations of child sexual abuse disclosure
Alaggia, R. (2004) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2004.03.016 · Cited by 292 · see citing works
Self-citationDisclosing unwanted sexual experiences: results from a national sample of adolescent women
Kogan, S. M. (2004) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2003.09.014 · Cited by 252 · see citing works
Child Sexual Abuse: Immediate and Long-Term Effects and Intervention
Green, A. H. (1993) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199309000-00002 · Cited by 239 · see citing works
Arata, C. M. (1998) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559598003001006 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Disclosure of child sexual abuse. For better or for worse.
Sauzier, M. C. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 223 · see citing works
Internal and external mediators of women's sexual abuse in childhood.
Wyatt, G. E., & Newcomb, M. D. (1990) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.58.6.758 · Cited by 213 · see citing works
The effects of disclosure and intervention on sexually abused children
Berliner, L., & Conte, J. R. (1995) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(94)00138-3 · Cited by 208 · see citing works
How do children tell? The disclosure process in child sexual abuse
Bradley, A. R., & Wood, J. M. (1996) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(96)00077-4 · Cited by 179 · see citing works
Jonzon, E., & Lindblad, F. (2004) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559504264263 · Cited by 169 · see citing works
Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse
Sauzier, M. C. (1989) · Psychiatric Clinics of North America · doi:10.1016/s0193-953x(18)30443-x · Cited by 156 · see citing works
Lamb, S., & Edgar-Smith, S. (1994) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/088626094009003002 · Cited by 151 · see citing works
Roesler, T. A., & wind, T. W. (1994) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/088626094009003003 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
The Journal of Child Sexual Abuse
Geffner, R. A. (1994) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v03n01_01 · Cited by 126 · see citing works
Children's disclosure of sexual abuse during formal investigation
Keary, K., & Fitzpatrick, C. (1994) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(94)90080-9 · Cited by 118 · see citing works
The Characteristics of Disclosure among Children Who May have been Sexually Abused
DeVoe, E. R., & Faller, K. C. (1999) · Child Maltreatment · doi:10.1177/1077559599004003003 · Cited by 116 · see citing works
Review of 125 children 6 years of age and under who were sexually abused
Mian, M., Wehrspann, W., Klajner-Diamond, H., Lebaron, D., & Winder, C. (1986) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(86)90083-9 · Cited by 114 · see citing works
Reinhart, M. A. (1987) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(87)90062-7 · Cited by 109 · see citing works
Speaking the Unspeakable: Exploring the Impact of Family Dynamics on Child Sexual Abuse Disclosures
Alaggia, R., & Kirshenbaum, S. (2005) · Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Social Services · doi:10.1606/1044-3894.2457 · Cited by 100 · see citing works
Self-citationFactors Associated with Disclosure During Child Sexual Abuse Assessment
Gries, L. T., Goh, D. S., & Cavanaugh, J. (1997) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v05n03_01 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
System Intervention Trauma to Child Sexual Abuse Victims Following Disclosure
Henry, J. (1997) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/088626097012004002 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Characteristics of a clinical sample of sexually abused children: How boy and girl victims differ
Faller, K. C. (1989) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(89)90015-x · Cited by 86 · see citing works
Positive Reaction to Disclosure and Recovery from Child Sexual Abuse
Gries, L. T., Goh, D. S., Andrews, M. B., Gilbert, J., Praver, F., & Stelzer, D. N. (2000) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v09n01_03 · Cited by 83 · see citing works
Revue québécoise de psychologie
(2017) · Revue québécoise de psychologie · doi:10.7202/rqpsy · Cited by 79 · see citing works
Disclosure patterns of sexual abuse and psychological functioning at a 1-year follow-up
Nagel, D. E., Putnam, F. W., Noll, J. G., & Trickett, P. K. (1997) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(96)00139-1 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
The effects of sexual abuse on 3- to 5-year-old girls
Mian, M., Marton, P., & Lebaron, D. (1996) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/0145-2134(96)00061-0 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Alaggia, R. (2002) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v10n02_03 · Cited by 69 · see citing works
Self-citationBetrayed as boys: psychodynamic treatment of sexually abused men
(1999) · Choice Reviews Online · doi:10.5860/choice.37-1224 · Cited by 67 · see citing works
Disclosures of Sexual Abuse by Puerto Rican Children
Fontes, L. A. (1993) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v02n01_02 · Cited by 66 · see citing works
Developmental Differences in Detection and Disclosure of Sexual Abuse
Campis, L. B., HEBDEN-CURTIS, J., & DeMaso, D. R. (1993) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1097/00004583-199309000-00005 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men
Claman, L. (2000) · American Journal of Psychotherapy · doi:10.1176/appi.psychotherapy.2000.54.3.439 · Cited by 52 · see citing works
Social psychological influences on help seeking and support from peers.
Fisher, J. D., Goff, B., Nadler, A., et al. (1988) · Cited by 48 · see citing works
Editorial: disclosure of child sexual abuse
JONES, D. P. H. (2000) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/s0145-2134(99)00125-8 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Incest and Women of Color: A Study of Experiences and Disclosure
Tyagi, S. V. (2002) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v10n02_02 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Hindman, J. (1989) · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Against the Odds: The Impact of Woman Abuse on Maternal Response to Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse
Alaggia, R., & Turton, J. V. (2005) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1300/j070v14n04_05 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
Self-citationA Social Exchange Explanation for the Child Sexual Abuse Accommodation Syndrome
LEONARD, E. D. (1996) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/088626096011001008 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Confidants' feedback and traumatic life events
Kelly, A. E., Coenen, M. E., & Johnston, B. L. (1995) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1007/bf02105414 · Cited by 15 · see citing works
Confidants' feedback and traumatic life events
Kelly, A. E., Coenen, M. E., & Johnston, B. L. (1995) · Journal of Traumatic Stress · doi:10.1002/jts.2490080112 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Facilitators and Barriers to Child Sexual Abuse (CSA) Disclosures: A Research Update (2000–2016)
Alaggia, R., Collin-Vézina, D., & Lateef, R. (2019) · Trauma, Violence, & Abuse · doi:10.1177/1524838017697312 · Cited by 532 · see citing works
“A number of studies have recently focused on CSA disclosures with male victims, since males have been an understudied population (Alaggia, 2005; Easton, 2013; Easton et al., 2014; Gagnier & Collin-Vézina, 2016).”
BackgroundInfluentialSelf-citationCollin-Vézina, D., De La Sablonnière-Griffin, M., Palmer, A. M., & Milne, L. (2015) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.010 · Cited by 298 · see citing works
"I keep that hush-hush": Male survivors of sexual abuse and the challenges of disclosure.
Sorsoli, L., Kia-Keating, M., & Grossman, F. K. (2008) · Journal of Counseling Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-0167.55.3.333 · Cited by 201 · see citing works
Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse Among Adult Male Survivors
Easton, S. D. (2013) · Clinical Social Work Journal · doi:10.1007/s10615-012-0420-3 · Cited by 172 · see citing works
The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors
Gagnier, C., & Collin-Vézina, D. (2016) · Journal of Child Sexual Abuse · doi:10.1080/10538712.2016.1124308 · Cited by 144 · see citing works
Male Child Sexual Abuse: A Phenomenology of Betrayal
Alaggia, R., & Millington, G. (2008) · Clinical Social Work Journal · doi:10.1007/s10615-007-0144-y · Cited by 135 · see citing works
Self-citationEaston, S. D., Renner, L. M., & O’Leary, P. (2013) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2012.11.007 · Cited by 96 · see citing works
Sivagurunathan, M., Orchard, T., MacDermid, J. C., & Evans, M. (2019) · Child Abuse & Neglect · doi:10.1016/j.chiabu.2018.08.015 · Cited by 91 · see citing works
Okur, P., van der Knaap, L. M., & Bogaerts, S. (2020) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/0886260517720732 · Cited by 40 · see citing works
Schittenhelm, C., Weber, C., Kops, M., & Wachs, S. (2025) · Journal of Youth and Adolescence · doi:10.1007/s10964-025-02192-x · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“For example, as previous research on sexual victimization suggests, men in particular are afraid of experiencing stigmatization and being perceived as a victim or labeled as “ unmanly ” , weak, or gay (Alaggia, 2005; Edwards et al., 2023).”
- Authors
- Alaggia, R.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Alaggia, Ramona
- ORCID
- Alaggia, Ramona
- Venue
- Journal of Loss and Trauma
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2005-10
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 453-470
- ISSN
- 1532-5024 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-5032
- OpenAlex
- W1965023678
- Cited by
- 235
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 28 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 11 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 19 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 9
- FWCI
- 2.31
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Loss and Trauma (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Military, Security, and Education Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies
- Keywords
- child sexual abuse, disclosure, gender differences, adult survivors, delayed disclosure, traumatic loss, therapeutic work
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
