eprintid: 1530187
rev_number: 21
eprint_status: archive
userid: 608
dir: disk0/01/53/01/87
datestamp: 2017-01-19 15:12:52
lastmod: 2021-09-25 23:15:37
status_changed: 2017-01-19 15:12:52
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
creators_name: Leclerc, B
creators_name: Wortley, R
title: Predictors of victim disclosure in child sexual abuse: Additional evidence from a sample of incarcerated adult sex offenders
ispublished: pub
divisions: UCL
divisions: B04
divisions: C05
divisions: F52
keywords: Child sexual offenses; Child sexual abuse; Victim disclosure
note: Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
This manuscript version is made available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non-commercial Non-derivative 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). This license allows you to share, copy, distribute and transmit the work for personal and non-commercial use providing author and publisher attribution is clearly stated. Further details about CC BY licenses are available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/. Access may be initially restricted by the publisher.
abstract: The under-reporting of child sexual abuse by victims is a serious problem that may prolong the suffering of victims and leave perpetrators free to continue offending. Yet empirical evidence indicates that victim disclosure rates are low. In this study, we perform regression analysis with a sample of 369 adult child sexual offenders to examine potential predictors of victim disclosure. Specifically, we extend the range of previously examined potential predictors of victim disclosure and investigate interaction effects in order to better capture under which circumstances victim disclosure is more likely. The current study differs from previous studies in that it examines the impact of victim and offense variables on victim disclosure from the perspective of the offender. In line with previous studies, we found that disclosure increased with the age of the victim and if penetration had occurred. In addition, we found that disclosure increased when the victim came from a non-dysfunctional family and resisted the abuse. The presence of an interaction effect highlighted the impact of the situation on victim disclosure. This effect indicated that as victims get older, they are more likely to disclose the abuse when they are not living with the offender at the time of abuse, but less likely to do so when they are living with the offender at the time of abuse. These findings are discussed in relation to previous studies and the need to facilitate victim disclosure.
date: 2015-05
date_type: published
official_url: http://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.003
oa_status: green
full_text_type: other
language: eng
primo: open
primo_central: open_green
verified: verified_manual
elements_id: 1035622
doi: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.003
lyricists_name: Wortley, Richard
lyricists_id: RKWOR37
actors_name: Wortley, Richard
actors_id: RKWOR37
actors_role: owner
full_text_status: public
publication: Child Abuse & Neglect
volume: 43
pagerange: 104-111
issn: 0145-2134
citation:        Leclerc, B;    Wortley, R;      (2015)    Predictors of victim disclosure in child sexual abuse: Additional evidence from a sample of incarcerated adult sex offenders.                   Child Abuse & Neglect , 43    pp. 104-111.    10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.003 <https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.03.003>.       Green open access   
 
document_url: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1530187/1/Leclerc%20%26%20Wortley%202015%20Predictors%20of%20disclosure.pdf