Image-Based Sexual Abuse: Characteristics Linked to Different Reasons Why Youth Decide Not to Disclose

TL;DR

This study explores why youth do not disclose incidents of image-based sexual abuse, identifying common fears and barriers like embarrassment and fear of family trouble.

Contribution

The study identifies specific characteristics and reasons linked to nondisclosure of image-based sexual abuse among youth, offering insights for prevention and intervention strategies.

Findings

Fear of family trouble, embarrassment, and self-reliance are the top reasons for not disclosing image-based sexual abuse.

Longer incident duration and explicit content are linked to fears involving family or police trouble.

Female and sexual/gender minority youth report higher fear and shame-related barriers to disclosure.

Abstract

Image-based sexual abuse is an increasingly prevalent form of technology-facilitated harm, yet disclosure rates remain low. Understanding why youth do not disclose image-based sexual abuse is critical for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. This paper examined the reasons youth do not disclose image-based sexual abuse incidents and identified incident- and person-level characteristics associated with different nondisclosure motives. Participants were recruited online to this US-based cross-sectional study between June 28, 2023, and April 1, 2024, using social media advertisements targeting individuals aged 18–28. A total of 6204 individuals completed the survey; 2854 (46.0%) reported experiencing image-based sexual abuse before age 18. The analytic sample included 2522 incidents reported by 1551 participants that were not disclosed. The most frequently cited reasons for nondisclosure were fear of getting in trouble with family (53.9%), embarrassment (52.9%), and the belief that they could handle the incident alone (45.2%). Reasons varied by image-based sexual abuse subtype. Longer incident duration and explicit content were related to fear of getting into trouble with their family or the police, and having multiple people responsible was related to many reasons for nondisclosure (i.e., fear of getting in trouble, fear the person would find out, embarrassment, and feeling like no one could help) ,. Female participants and sexual/gender minority youth were more likely to report barriers specific to fear and shame. Prior victimization was associated with a greater belief that no one could help and fear of getting in trouble or the person finding out. Prevention should address common fears, challenge stigma and self-blame, and ensure youth have access to trusted adults and non-punitive disclosure options. These findings support clinical efforts to reduce barriers and promote safe disclosure pathways for these survivors.