Reframing informal disclosures of sexual violence as ‘an ongoing conversation’: how victim-survivors discuss victimisation with friends, family and partners

Abstract

Sexual violence (SV) is more likely to be disclosed to friends, family members and partner(s) (ONS, 2021), though less is known regarding these informal disclosure experiences compared to formal disclosures (for example, to the police). This victim-survivor-led study explored the ways in which victim-survivors of SV disclosed and discussed victimisation with friends, family and partners. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with 31 victim-survivors of child sexual abuse, sexual assault and rape in the UK, demonstrating the gradual nature of disclosure. The findings highlight the various ways in which victim-survivors make others aware of their experiences, including: disclosing as memories emerge, disclosing as awareness emerges, disclosing multiple aspects of victimisation, disclosure gradually becoming limited, partially disclosing, attempting to disclose, and enlisting the support of others to disclose to specific people. In addition to disclosing victimisation experiences, victim-survivors also discuss the impact of victimisation, including the ways in which they were responded to by others. Various factors influence the way in which victim-survivors disclose, including victim-survivor identities, victimisation experiences, acknowledgement status, previous responses and feared responses. The findings indicate that informal disclosure is a complex and ever-shifting process through which victim-survivors attempt to speak about victimisation and impact(s) via numerous conversations with multiple people, potentially over the life course.