"Would You Tell Under Circumstances Like That?": Barriers to Disclosure of Child Sexual Abuse for Men

Although public awareness is increasing in regard to the realities of child sexual abuse (CSA) for boys, male survivors often delay disclosure of the abuse for years or even decades. Little is known about the factors that impede or obstruct disclosure for sexually abused boys/men. Because disclosure is often a prerequisite to help-seeking and accessing resources for healing, the purpose of this study was to identify barriers to disclosure of CSA for male survivors. Using content analysis, the researchers conducted a secondary analysis of data obtained from a large, nonclinical sample of men with histories of CSA (N = 460) who completed an online survey. The data analyzed in this study included responses to an open-ended item on disclosure barriers. Our analyses identified 10 categories of barriers that were classified into 3 domains: sociopolitical (e.g., masculinity, limited resources), interpersonal (e.g., mistrust of others, abuser factors), and personal (e.g., internal emotions, naming the experience as sexual abuse). Based on our results, these domains were distinct yet interrelated. The implications for policy, clinical practice, and future research are discussed.