Why don't kids tell? Gender and the disclosure of abuse.
Date
2007-06-29T17:48:31Z
Authors
Spaventa, Kathryn
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Boys are assumed to be more reluctant to disclose sexual abuse than girls but empirical evidence is lacking. Previous qualitative research by Alaggia (2005) suggests that typical nondisclosure reasons for women are related to confusion about who was responsible for the abuse and feelings that she will be blamed or not believed. Similarly boys are assumed to have gender-specific reasons for nondisclosure such as fear of being labeled as homosexual (Alaggia, 2005). We investigated gender differences in likelihood of disclosure and evaluated some reasons why males and females decided not to disclose their child sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Gender differences as well as gender similarities in reasons for nondisclosure of child sexual, emotional and physical abuse were found in responses to a questionnaire completed by a sample of college students.
Description
37 p. A THESIS Presented to the Department of Psychology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Spring 2007.
Keywords
Psychology, Trauma, Child abuse -- Reporting -- Sex differences, Child sexual abuse -- Reporting -- Sex differences