When disclosure fails to substantiate abuse: child and perpetrator race predict child sexual abuse substantiation

We examined the effects of child race, perpetrator race, and abuse disclosure status (within the context of a formal forensic interview) on abuse substantiation outcomes. Specifically, we coded child sexual abuse disclosure, abuse substantiation, and race of 315 children (80% girls, M age = 10, age...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Stevenson, Margaret C. (Author) ; Rivers, Molly A. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2023
In: Child maltreatment
Year: 2023, Volume: 28, Issue: 4, Pages: 621-633
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
child advocacy centers
Child Sexual Abuse
child maltreatment
Disclosure
Diversity
ethnic minority populations
Description
Summary:We examined the effects of child race, perpetrator race, and abuse disclosure status (within the context of a formal forensic interview) on abuse substantiation outcomes. Specifically, we coded child sexual abuse disclosure, abuse substantiation, and race of 315 children (80% girls, M age = 10, age range = 2-17; 75% White, 9% Black, 12% Biracial, 3% Hispanic, 1% Asian) who underwent a child forensic interview in a Midwestern child advocacy center. Supporting hypotheses, abuse substantiation was more likely in cases involving (a) abuse disclosure (vs. no disclosure), (b) White children (vs. children of color), and (c) perpetrators of color (vs. White perpetrators). Also supporting hypotheses, the effect of abuse disclosure on increased abuse substantiation was greater for White children than for children of color. This research suggests that even when children of color disclose their experiences of sexual abuse, they nonetheless face barriers to abuse substantiation.
ISSN:1552-6119
DOI:10.1177/10775595231157729