Experiences of Women Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Relation to Nonsupportive Significant Adults: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a complex trauma with devastating long-term, negative effects on survivors. This study extended the understanding of experiences of women survivors of CSA in relation to nonsupportive significant adults documented in literature, as to date, there exists no summary in literature on this particular topic. As such, a scoping review was conducted on publications between 1980 and January 2020. A total of 26 733 were selected for analysis in accordance with the search terms. After duplicates were removed and the exclusion criteria were applied, a total of 58 articles were selected for inclusion in the review. Thematic analysis was conducted on the studies included, and three themes were developed pertaining to the experiences of women survivors of CSA in relation to nonsupportive significant adults. Theme 1 identified nonsupportive behaviors experienced before disclosure or discovery of abuse. Theme 2 identified nonsupportive behaviors experienced during or after disclosure or discovery of abuse. Theme 3 identified the long-term negative consequences of nonsupportive experiences. These three themes support the findings of Freyd’s betrayal trauma theory and Bowlby’s attachment theory, extend on the global knowledge base of this topic, and identify gaps for further exploration.