Child rape victims experiences in the aftermath of disclosure.

Abstract

This study was undertaken to explore children's experiences in the aftermath of rape disclosure. A qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study was conducted at a Durban Treatment Centre. Clinical interviews were conducted with 20 rape survivors by a Psychologist in the participants' language, namely isiZulu or isiXhosa. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis. Most children disclosed their rape initially to their mothers and received supportive reactions from their mothers and family as well as from the community in general. The data revealed some key points which highlighted the type of support received by children in the aftermath of rape disclosure. It seems as though the children received largely supportive reactions from mothers, families and the community. However, children described their experiences with the police, social worker or other helping professions as being mostly negative. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for policy and practice.