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Qualitative Social Work
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Patterns of Abuse Disclosure among Youth

Michael Ungar

Dalhousie University, Canada, michael.ungar{at}dal.ca

Ken Barter

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, kbarter{at}morgan.ucs.mun.ca

Sheri M. McConnell

Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada, smcconne{at}mun.ca

Leslie M. Tutty

University of Calgary, Canada, tutty{at}ucalgary.ca

Judi Fairholm

Violence and Abuse Prevention, Canada, judi.fairholm{at}redcross.ca

Evaluation forms completed by youth following participation in abuse prevention programming by the Canadian Red Cross (RespectED) offer a unique opportunity to explore disclosure strategies among a diverse national sample of 1621 young people. The sample comprised all youth in 5 regions who made anonymous written disclosures of abuse on evaluation forms administered after workshops delivered between 2000 and 2003. Focus groups, interviews and observational data were used to ensure the trustworthiness of the data analysis. Findings show that youth who have been abused or witnesses to abuse employ five disclosure strategies: using self-harming behaviours to signal the abuse to others; not talking at all about the abuse to prevent intrusive interventions by others; seeking help from peers; seeking help from informal adult supports; and seeking help from mandated service providers (social workers and police). Findings highlight young people’s use of indirect and direct means of disclosure to ensure their safety.

Key Words: child physical and sexual abuse • disclosure of abuse • prevention programming • youth

Qualitative Social Work, Vol. 8, No. 3, 341-356 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1473325009337842
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