Against the odds: the impact of woman abuse on maternal response to disclosure of child sexual abuse

Abstract

Although the co-occurrence of woman abuse and child sexual abuse is high little research exists exploring the impact of woman abuse on maternal response to child sexual abuse (CSA). Findings from two qualitative studies indicate the form of woman abuse to have differential impact on maternal response. Mothers who were abused in non-physical ways, psychological, or emotional, displayed more ambivalent, less supportive responses. Mothers who were physically abused by their partners more often acted supportively to their children and displayed less ambivalence about separating from the perpetrator. Some survivors reported non-disclosure as children because of their fear of the perpetrator due to the woman abuse they were exposed to while being sexually abused. Practice and research implications are discussed.