Disclosing Sexual Assault: Understanding the Culture of Nondisclosure

Understanding the culture of nondisclosure of sexual violence is critical since every 98 seconds in the United States a new perpetration of sexual abuse is committed. Disclosure rates lag behind victimization rates, with roughly 20% of sexual abuse experiences disclosed. Lack of disclosure is a public health concern given that abusers often have multiple victims and that survivors are less likely to seek help without disclosing. Intersectionality theory is offered as an organizing theoretical framework for learning about barriers to disclosure across three levels, the individual, their family, and society. Barriers at each level are presented. Finally, a discussion of how to shift the culture toward one of disclosure is given, and recommendations for research, practice, policy, and programming are offered.