The risk and protective factors, response to disclosure, and interventions for sibling sexual abuse : A systematic review

The present review synthesised the existing literature on siblings’ use of harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), also referred to as sibling sexual abuse (SSA). It provides an overview of the risk and protective factors (both for engaging in HSB towards siblings, and for experiencing sexual abuse from a sibling), disclosure patterns and responses to disclosure, and therapeutic responses or other interventions for victims and children and young people instigating SSA.
We identified a total of 38 studies from North America, Israel, Europe, and Australia, with a notable absence of studies from low- to middle-income countries. Most studies used a purposive or convenience sample from therapeutic, forensic, justice, and community-based settings.
Individual-level risk factors for SSA victimisation included being female and pre-adolescent, whereas young people who display HSB towards a sibling were often male, and older (had entered adolescence). Learning disabilities, a history of abuse victimisation, criminal history, and drug and alcohol use were also identified as individual-level risk factors for young people displaying HSB towards a sibling. Family-level risk factors included living in a dysfunctional family environment, parental/marital conflict, divorce, living in a blended family, parental absence, emotional neglect, and low socioeconomic status. The only contextual-level risk factors identified were the fundamentalist and traditional religious context in which families lived, and the effects of patriarchal norms in families.
Our review also found that rates of disclosure to parents were low, ranging from 8% to 69% of victims disclosing, with a higher likelihood of disclosure to a mother than a father. Many victims of SSA did not disclose until adulthood, often due to barriers related to family-level risk factors, such as parental unavailability and rejection or disbelief by parents that the abuse had occurred. Some sibling HSB was discovered because a young person was found to have been involved in extrafamilial displays of HSB, and further investigation resulted in SSA being discovered. Parents often responded negatively or with disbelief when a young person disclosed as a victim of SSA, with multiple studies noting minimisation by parents and the sibling who instigated the HSB. Studies reporting young people who have been victims of SSA did not directly report on the therapeutic responses and interventions used to support them.
Overall, our review highlights the need for more research on SSA, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and within different cultural contexts. It is important for future studies to include diverse samples and use standardised measures to enable comparison across studies. The review also emphasises the importance of early detection and prevention of SSA, given the significant negative impact it can have on victims and their families and the low rates of disclosure. Professionals working in sectors such as social work, education, health, and mental health need to be aware of the risk and protective factors, disclosure patterns, and appropriate responses to SSA to provide effective support to those affected. Finally, our review highlights the need for more awareness-raising and education for parents to address the issue of SSA in families, reduce stigma and barriers to disclosure for victims, and facilitate access to treatment and intervention when HSB is displayed.

TO CITE THE REPORT:
Russell, D. H., Trew, S., Hunt, G., Dickson, J., & Higgins, D. J. (2023). The risk and protective factors, response to disclosure, and interventions for sibling sexual abuse: A systematic review © Australian Catholic University 2023.

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This project was commissioned by Bravehearts Foundation Ltd. which received funding through the Westpac Safer Children, Safer Communities program.