Silent screams: Listening to and making meaning from the voices of abused children.
Steven Kator Iorfa, James Edem Effiong, Alice Apejoye and 4 others
PMID 35083769WHAT IT FOUND
Eleven female adolescents who disclosed abuse described how family reactions shaped their trauma.
Those blamed or dismissed by relatives withdrew further, while those comforted by parents who confronted abusers externalized blame and adjusted better. Negative responses silenced them; supportive ones helped them cope.
Key findings
01Participants described screaming or pleading to stop the abuse, contradicting victim-blaming narratives.
02Reactions from significant others varied widely, with some parents blaming the victim and others confronting the abuser.
03Negative or dismissive responses led survivors to withdraw socially and stop disclosing further abuse.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they found
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What it does not show
The study included only 11 female participants, limiting the generalizability of the findings to other genders or larger populations. The sample was restricted to those who had already disclosed their abuse, potentially missing the experiences of those who never spoke up. The qualitative design identifies themes and experiences but cannot measure the efficacy of any specific intervention or outcome. The study was conducted in a specific cultural context (Nigeria), which may influence how stigma and family dynamics play out differently elsewhere.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or funding sources are explicitly declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence of a specific therapeutic outcome or efficacy. The study describes the subjective experiences of 11 individuals regarding disclosure and family reaction; it does not test an intervention or prove that a specific communication strategy improves mental health outcomes.