Child Sexual Abuse: Why Children Disclose or Deny Being Abused

This fully revised volume provides a rigorous assessment of the latest re-
search relating to the disclosure of childhood sexual abuse, along with the
practical and policy implications of the findings.

Leading researchers and practitioners from diverse and international
backgrounds offer critical commentary on these findings gathered from
both field and laboratory research. Building on the first edition, this book
presents the research from the past twenty years on why delayed disclosure
or denial is so common and what we can do about it. Chapters focus on
field research interviewing reluctant children, including suspected victims
of sexual abuse and other crimes, victims of trafficking, as well as young,
suspected perpetrators of sexual abuse. Adding emphasis on research-based
methods for overcoming reluctance, it also explores the different dynamics
and circumstances which affect disclosure patterns and the ways in which
interviewers can facilitate disclosures.

Child Sexual Abuse is for researchers and practitioners from child, foren-
sic, and clinical psychology, social work, and all legal professionals who need
to understand this crime. It will also be of interest to trainee social workers
specializing in child welfare and intervention.

Michael E. Lamb PhD., is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Cambridge and has written or edited approximately 50 books, including the first edition of this book.

Irit Hershkowitz is Professor Emerita of Social Work at the University of Haifa and has led research on interviewing reluctant children for over a decade.

Margaret-Ellen Pipe is Professor Emerita of Psychology at the City University of New York and was the principal editor of the original book.