Contextual Stressors for Black and Latino Families After Child Sexual Abuse

Socio-ecological contexts shape trauma and recovery after sexual abuse, but little is known about these contexts, particularly for racial and ethnic minority families. We aimed to describe contextual stressors for Black and Latino families after child sexual abuse. We interviewed 30 Black and Latino, English and Spanish-speaking caregivers of children who were sexually abused. Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Caregivers (87% mothers) reported two sociocultural stressors: (1) beliefs about sexual abuse (patriarchy and stigma) and (2) beliefs about help-seeking (trust in family advice and mistrust of mental health care). Caregivers reported one main systems stressor: sexual abuse evaluation, investigation, and legal processes. They described how experiences with multidisciplinary systems can lead to child re-traumatization, caregiver blame and powerlessness, and family and community identity-based stress. Our findings highlight areas of intervention to strengthen and uplift communities, improve child protection systems, and promote child and family well-being after sexual abuse.