“I did not feel the need to disclose” – Silence after abuse
Violence and abuse against children and young people can have serious consequences for the individual, both in the short and long term. Nevertheless, many do not disclose such experiences. This study provides insight into which types of abuse young people do not disclose, and the reasons they give for not sharing their experiences.
Original title: “I did not feel the need to disclose”: identifying factors impeding the disclosure of child abuse experiences in a population with maltreatment history”.
Authors: Oda Vik Burmo, Kristine Skilbrei Bøen, Mari Hysing, Anders Dovran, Kaia Kjørstad, Gertrud Sofie Hafstad, Børge Sivertsen.
Year of publication: 2025
Journal: Nordic Psychology
Key findings:
- Online sexual abuse was the type of abuse that the fewest young people disclosed (only 67% had reported it).
- The most common reason young people did not disclose abuse was that they did not feel the need to report it.
- At the same time, 82% of the young people reported having an adult they trusted and could disclose abuse to.
Summary
The study examined 200 young people (12-18 years) who had stayed at the Stine Sofie Center after experiencing violence and abuse. The findings show that many young people do not disclose abuse because they do not perceive it as necessary. The results emphasize the need to increase young people’s knowledge about what constitutes abuse and lower the threshold for seeking help. The study can contribute to raising awareness in support services about barriers that prevent young people from sharing their experiences. By strengthening young people’s understanding of what abuse entails, informing them about available support services, and offering non-judgmental support, conditions can be created for more to choose to disclose.
The article is also featured on erfaringskompetanse.no
Other published articles from the survey
Clear link between violence and poor sleep
This systematic literature review is the first to specifically examine the connection between children expo…
Experience more mental health problems than other children
Children and adolescents who have experienced maltreatment have more mental health problems compared to oth…
Sleep Problems in Adolescents Exposed to Violence
Adolescents who have experienced violence in childhood may have an increased risk of sleep disturbances. Th…
Health Cohort for Children and Adolescents Exposed to Violence and Abuse
How do violence and abuse affect children and adolescents in the long term? The Triple-S study is the first…
Read also
-
This content is not available in English.
Deler kunnskap for å gi barn bedre hjelp
Hva kan samfunnet lære av saker der barn sviktes av systemet? Nå har undersøkelsesordningen som skal sikre at samfunnet lærer når barn sviktes fått innspill og ny kunnskap…
Read more about Deler kunnskap for å gi barn bedre hjelp -
This content is not available in English.
Skal styrke kunnskapen om vold mot barn
Mandag 11. august signerte Stine Sofies Stiftelse en avtale om finansiering av ny forskning i den nasjonale langtidsstudien Trippel S,…
Read more about Skal styrke kunnskapen om vold mot barn -
This content is not available in English.
Utrygghet skader et lite liv
Om konsekvensene av å leve i et utrygt hjem over tid De fleste av oss vokser opp i normale trygge…
Read more about Utrygghet skader et lite liv