Facilitators of Disclosure of Sexual Abuse in the School Environment: Analysis of Counselor Reports

Children and adolescents often disclose sexual abuse to multiple individuals before making an official statement. Disclosures to school counselors provide a critical opportunity to initiate legal procedures. This study examined factors facilitating informal disclosures to school counselors through a retrospective analysis of 345 school-referred case files from a Child Advocacy Center. Findings indicated that adolescent girls abused by peers were three times more likely to disclose, whereas victims were reluctant to make official disclosures when the perpetrator was a family member. Disclosure was primarily initiated through individual consultations (34.9%), peer support (31.6%), and counselor screening forms (15.9%). The results highlight the critical role of school counselors in identifying at-risk children and strengthening early intervention efforts.