Disclosure

Dealing with Disclosure Atlantic County Women’s Center Monday, September 17, 2007

Atlantic County Women’s Center Services
Child Care Network
Home to Work Program
WomenSource Training Institute
Violence Intervention Program
counseling
Referral
Groups psycho-educ
Prevention education
Life skills services

What is disclosure?
When a child or an adult voluntarily tells you they have experienced or are experiencing sexual abuse/incest, sexual assault (rape), domestic violence or other crisis
Drug/alcohol
Transitional living/homelessness
Death/loss

Who discloses?
Children/Teens
Sexual violence
Witnessing domestic violence
Experiencing dating violence
Child abuse
Adults
Past history of abuse
Domestic violence
Child abuse by partner

How do they disclose?
Within counseling
At schools
Accidentally
Marks on body
Behavior red flags
Interrupted act of violence
Purposefully
During counseling
Out of fear for other children
After the abuse has stopped

Red Flags for Abuse
Some Physical signs/symptoms
Welts or other skin injuries
Repeated injuries
Venereal disease
Unexplained injuries
Lack of medical care
Lack of self care

Red Flags for Abuse
Some behavioral signs/symptoms
Extremes of behavior/mood swings
Addictions
Extreme fear of dark, small places, etc.
Depressed or withdrawn
Overly eager to please adults
Inappropriate sexual information
Habitually absent or late from school/care
Always tired

Red Flags of Abusive/Abused Parents
Story doesn’t always “add” up
Overreacts/hostile when questioned
Rarely touches or looks at child
Has unrealistic expectations of child based on child’s age
Minimizes child’s needs
Focuses on self instead of child (may also be victim)
Acts competitively towards child

Why is an appropriate response important?
Validation for the victim
Students can’t learn if they’re not safe
Less recanting of the victimization
Safety for all
Community responsibility
Ethical responsibility

What is an appropriate response?
Creating a “safe space”
Listening, not investigating
Non-judgment – meet them where they are
Validating
Empowerment, empowerment, empowerment
Empathy/not sympathy
Confidentiality
Boundaries
Be mindful of language used
Your own triggers/experiences
Responsibility to report
Meta-communication

Do not:
Minimize
Blame
Judge
Not respond out of fear
Make promises
React (body language, anger, cry)
Make it about you
Break confidentiality unless necessary

Do:
Take the person to a confidential spot
Believe them!
Provide options whenever possible
Call for support/intervention
Check your personal values at the door
Create a safety plan
Advocate for the plan
Take care of self

What to do next:
Consider safety first
Explore resources
Take action/Make contacts
Debrief staff
Stages of transition/loss
Denial
Anger
Bargaining
Hopelessness
acceptance
Review the results
What went well?
What could have gone better?
What lessons are there for next time?

Additional Resources
DYFS 1-877-NJ-ABUSE
911
Atlantic County Women’s Center
1-800-286-4184 and www.acwc.org
Ipac.aclink.org and click “clubs and organizations”
211

Thank You.
Erin O’Hanlon,
Director of Community Initiatives
609-601-9925, ext. 201
Michelle Duffy,
Supervisor of Children’s Services
609-646-6767, ext. 661

Disclosure

by Erin O'Hanlon

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