Helping Children to Tell About Sexual Abuse ─ Guidance for Helpers

McElvaney, a clinical psychologist in Ireland who works with children and adults who have experienced sexual abuse, shows helping professionals how to identify potential child sexual abuse cases, help children speak up, and take action by helping the child become aware of his or her rights and recognize abuse, and allowing conversations for disclosure. She describes the knowledge on child sexual abuse and its prevalence; key research on children's experiences disclosing and delaying it, models about the disclosure process, and factors that help or hinder them; the importance of believing them; non-verbal indicators; the importance of asking children questions to provide them the opportunity to tell; children's experiences blaming themselves and how shame and self-blame can prevent disclosure; peer-to-peer disclosure and how helpers can support children in responding to their friends when sharing confidences; and children's experiences after disclosure, including the support they need. Annotation ©2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)

Rosaleen McElvaney is a clinical psychologist who has worked in the public health services in Ireland for many years, primarily in services for children or adults who have experienced sexual abuse. She has served on the boards of Crime Victims Helpline, the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland and One in Four. She is currently a lecturer in psychotherapy at Dublin City University and lives in Dublin, Ireland.