The caregiver’s experience of child sexual abuse discovery

Abstract

The aim of this study is to understand the experience of non-offending caregivers (NOCs) finding out that their child has experienced sexual abuse (CSA). It will primarily focus on understanding how NOCs describe their experience of finding out, and how NOCs make sense of their reactions to their child’s disclosure. There is a lacuna of research focusing on the NOCs’ experience of finding out, and this research endeavours to address this paucity of information. This study adopted a qualitative approach, and semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with two mothers who both experienced their child’s disclosure of sexual abuse. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was utilised to analyse these case studies in-depth. The following superordinate themes emerged from the analysis, (a) The Moment, (b) Finding out as a Process, and (c) The Occurrence of Trauma. While various details of the sexual abuse and disclosure differed, participants appeared to have experienced similar feelings resulting from their child’s disclosure. This study highlights the NOCs’ reactions to finding out about their child’s experience of sexual abuse, some of which include shock, compassion, empathy, fear, guilt, self-blame, anger, disappointment, grief, loss, acceptance and symptoms of trauma. Key findings indicate the similarity between the NOC’s experience of finding out, and the experience of loss that provides scope for future research in the area. They also evidence participants’ avoidant coping strategies, thus informing the practice of psychotherapy with NOCs.