Child
victims must have someone that they trust in order to tell about the
abuse. They may have been told by the
offender that they will not be believed. They may have
tried to tell and saw that nothing happened. They may have given small amounts of information and believed that they had told about the abuse. However, the information may have been
misunderstood by the other person. Children are afraid of the
consequences of telling. Perpetrators often tell victims what will happen if the they tell. Sometimes these are lies, and sometimes it is the truth. The perpetrator may be
arrested and removed from the home, if he or she is a family member. Other reasons that children may not tell about the sexual abuse include:
- No adult is available to tell.
- Mother may be busy with work and tired when home.
- Mother may be busy with young children.
- Mother or both parents may drink excessively or use drugs.
- Mother may be in relationshiop with abusive partner, who may be the perpetrator.
- Child may perceive mother or both parents as helpless.
- Child may be in the home of another adult due to death or unavailability of parents.
- Physical child abuse may be present in the home and child is afraid to tell
- Child may have no child or adult friends.
- Child does not trust any adult in his life to listen to this secret and respond.