“To tell or not to tell?” – this is a question often asked by children going through such experiences. The thought that they might be able to escape the abuse makes them want to talk about it, but the fear, shame, guilt and confusion that arise in such cases often hold them back.

The sooner the child victim discloses the sexual abuse, the sooner the process can be set in motion to ensure their protection and safety from the abuser. Following the disclosure of the incident, important measures are taken to ensure that the abuse is stopped, the risks to other potential victims are reduced, and the victim receives the necessary support to minimise, as far as possible, the onset of physical, emotional and mental health problems. Therefore, reporting abuse is important not only for the victim themselves, but also for the institutions involved, for other children and for the wider community.

Disclosing childhood sexual abuse is a process rather than a single event. Throughout their lives, victims will disclose the abuse to various people and in different ways. They may do so verbally or non-verbally, accidentally or intentionally, partially or fully.

Some children do not disclose the abuse until adulthood, whilst others never do. A 2020 study found that 66 per cent of sexual abuse experienced by children aged between 10 and 17 is not disclosed to parents or other adults. Another study from 2010 suggests that approximately 60–80 per cent of children do not disclose these experiences until they reach adulthood, which suggests that many children suffer prolonged victimisation or do not receive the necessary support.

The decision of whether or not to disclose sexual abuse is overwhelming for a child and their family. Unfortunately, disclosure does not always have a definite therapeutic effect. If survivors of abuse do not receive support from their family and social circle, and encounter negative attitudes from the authorities involved, the child’s healing process can be hindered. In such situations, children may even experience an increase in feelings of guilt, shame, isolation and other existing symptoms.

On the other hand, keeping the abuse a secret has negative consequences for survivors’ emotional and mental health, such as:

• severe depressive episodes;
• delinquency;
• behavioural problems;
• post-traumatic stress symptoms and other symptoms of anxiety;
• self-blame;
• lower levels of academic performance, cognitive ability and memory;
• early pregnancy.

As future adults, they may face:

• substance use;
• depression;
• anxiety;
• eating disorders;
• relationship problems;
• sexual dysfunction;
• medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, heart problems and others.