Child sexual abuse victim-survivor experiences of disclosure over time: Perspectives from an Australian qualitative...

Child sexual abuse (CSA) affects over a quarter of Australians, yet many victim-survivors never disclose their experiences or do so decades later. Responses to disclosure strongly influence safety, wellbeing, and long-term healing. Disclosure is increasingly understood as a gradual, lifelong process shaped by personal, social and institutional factors. Improving professional and community responses requires a deeper understanding of victim-survivors' experiences.

This study examined whether disclosure experiences have changed over time alongside increased public awareness of CSA and captured victim-survivor insights into disclosure experiences and processes.

Twenty-six CSA victim-survivors aged 20-80 years from six Australian states participated in online or in-person interviews.

Guided by a lived-experience advisory board, this trauma-informed qualitative study used reflexive content analysis. Disclosure experiences were coded, and preliminary themes were shared with participants for feedback to strengthen research credibility and participant agency.

Disclosure experiences varied according to abuse context, recipient responses, and life course trajectories. Early disclosures were often met with disbelief or hostility, contributing to silence and emotional distress. Recent disclosures, typically occurring in adulthood, were generally more positive when participants felt supported and believed. Disclosures were experienced as ongoing and interconnected processes, with control, safety, and trust identified as key influences.

CSA disclosure experiences appear to have improved over time but remain shaped by complex factors, including life contexts, motivations, gendered expectations, and perceptions of control. Enhancing victim-survivors' safety and agency throughout this lifelong and dynamic process is essential for promoting wellbeing and healing.