DOJ-OGR-00005943.pdf

--- Page 1 --- **Document Header:** * Case 1:20-cr-00330-PAE * Document 397-2 * Filed 10/29/21 * Page 33 of 45 **Title:** McElvaney **Main Text:** [The main text is divided into three sections, each with a bolded heading.] **Section 1:** 'Concerns that engagement with the legal system will lead to further psychological trauma need to be considered' [The text in this section discusses the potential risks and benefits of involving children in legal proceedings, including the potential for increased risk of adverse outcomes such as mental health problems, older children may be at increased risk for other undesirable sequelae such as the negative attitudes of others toward them. Quas and Goodman's (2011) recent review notes that older children are more at risk in developing poor mental health outcomes. Thus, as noted earlier, young people's fears of the consequences of disclosure may well be justified. Raised awareness of both the prevalence of non-disclosure of sexual abuse and the importance of supporting children to disclose may go some way to addressing children's fears.] **Section 2:** 'Many young people who delayed disclosure to an adult had told a friend' [The text in this section discusses the importance of peer influence as a significant factor in encouraging disclosure among adolescents. There is some suggestion from the research that regardless of the age at the time of abuse, adolescence may be a 'critical period' for disclosure. It may be that targeting adolescents in general (rather than those at risk of abuse) may be a powerful prevention tool in encouraging early disclosure. Evaluations of child abuse prevention programmes have shown significant improvements in the levels of awareness of child abuse in children and young people (Rispers et al., 1997; Zwi et al., 2007). It may be that the increasing trend towards peer disclosure is a by-product of such educational and awareness-raising programmes. There is evidence that public awareness campaigns when implemented as part of a multi-dimensional strategy that involves targeting children, parents and communities (see Lalor and McElvaney, 2010, for a review of child abuse prevention programmes) are an effective tool in the prevention of child abuse.] **Section 3:** 'An adaptive strategy on the part of the young person to contain the experience' [The text in this section discusses the importance of confidentiality following disclosure as representing an adaptive strategy on the part of the young person to contain the experience and his/her emotional reaction to it. The conflict between wanting/needing to keep the secret and wanting/needing to tell is mediated by what they term the 'pressure cooker effect'. Young people in their study described influences from within and without that led to a build up of pressure, ultimately leading to disclosure. They suggest that building up the pressure, ultimately leading to disclosure.] **Footer:** * Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. * Child Abuse Rev. Vol. 24: 159 169 (2015) * DOI: 10.1002/car **Handwritten Notes:** * DOJ-OGR-00005943