The Disclosure Experiences of Male Child Sexual Abuse Survivors

This article explores the diversity in the disclosure process of male survivors of child sexual abuse. Disclosure is a complex process for victims of both genders, however masculine norms and stereotypes have contributed to an environment that often negates the experiences of men. The disclosure process of 17 adult male survivors of child sexual abuse was explored using transcripts of telephone interviews. A combination of two qualitative methodologies, the phenomenological method and interpretive description approach, was used to analyze this secondary data. The results indicated that the majority of the men in the study waited until adulthood to disclose their abuse, with negative stereotypes contributing to their delayed disclosures. In terms of specific experiences with disclosure, the participants found they received both positive and negative responses. These results were consistent with the literature.