Forensic Perspectives on Child Sexual Abuse Disclosure in Greece: A Retrospective Study

Area of Science:

• Forensic Medicine
• Public Health
• Child Psychology

Background:

• Child sexual abuse (CSA) presents significant public health and forensic challenges.
• Delayed disclosure in CSA cases often compromises evidence collection and judicial processes.
• Limited evidence exists regarding CSA disclosure patterns in Southern Europe.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze disclosure patterns, victim-perpetrator characteristics, and forensic findings in Greek CSA cases.
• To identify factors associated with delayed disclosure in child sexual abuse.
• To contribute to the Southern European evidence base on child sexual abuse.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 89 child sexual abuse cases evaluated between 2014-2024.
• Analysis of medico-legal reports including demographics, abuse context, forensic findings, and disclosure interval.
• Statistical analysis to determine factors linked to delayed disclosure (>7 days).

Main Results:

• Victims were predominantly female (69.7%) with a mean age of 9.8 years.
• Over half of cases (53.9%) involved intrafamilial abuse, with adult male perpetrators.
• Mean disclosure delay was 79 days; recurrent abuse correlated with delayed disclosure (p=0.006).
• Early disclosure was linked to biological evidence collection (p<0.001).
• Physical injuries were found in 23.6%, genital findings in 17%, and anal findings in 3.4% of victims.

Conclusions:

• Delayed disclosure is prevalent in child sexual abuse cases, diminishing forensic evidence identification.
• Trauma-informed, child-centered examinations are vital for effective medical and forensic evaluations.
• Establishing hospital-based multidisciplinary units can enhance forensic documentation, interagency collaboration, and psychosocial support for abused children.