Disclosures of Abuse
While it seems logical that a child would tell parents about the abuse, in many cases the first person
they tell is a teacher. Children know that the disclosure will upset their parents—and they don't want
their parents hurt or disappointed. They trust that their teachers care about them but won't be as
disturbed by the disclosure as would their parents or guardians.
Disclosures come from a number of difference sources and are delivered in a variety of ways. Types of
disclosures generally come in one of two categories: (1) direct disclosures (2) indirect disclosures.
Direct disclosures:
Any time a child tells you that someone in his or her life is assaulting the child—physically,
emotionally, or sexually—that is a direct disclosure. However, while disclosures may be "direct,"
some may not be as obvious as others. For example, teachers must be sensitive to the verbal
development of students and to the fact that many children do not use anatomically correct language
to describe body parts. Children use the words they know-not the words we know. If a child is talking
about something bad that happened to him or her, listen carefully to what the child is saying. He
or she may be disclosing the details of an abusive situation.
Indirect disclosures:
Indirect disclosures are more difficult to recognize. For example, a child may ask general questions
that raise a "red flag" for the teacher, or may ask detailed questions to clarify the rules about
how to tell someone about abuse. At other times, the disclosure may be disguised as a story about
someone else or a "pretend" situation.
In addition, disclosures may come from a third party. Children sometimes tell their best friend
about what is happening. In some cases, the child's best friend or some other child who has
witnessed the results of the abuse may come forward with the disclosure.
Being aware of the different ways children disclose can open the door for children to come forward.
Teachers are in a unique position to create a safe space for children to talk about abuse. Once a
child begins to talk about abuse, teachers must remember that it is not their job to investigate.
However, proper reporting of a disclosure initiates the investigation process. For a child to be
properly supported and protected, a teacher's job is to report disclosures to the proper authorities
within their state.
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| Last Week's Poll
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Did you hear many stories of child sexual abuse before your organization began its child sexual abuse prevention awareness programs?
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Yes
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53.02%
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No
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46.98%
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Total Votes: 1871
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