In times of distress, children typically turn to the trusted adults in their lives for help. It is imperative that adults provide a safe and supportive environment for children to come forward to communicate about their distress. Speaking about a traumatic experience such as abuse requires a significant amount of courage and vulnerability and when this is not met with adequate support, children may avoid disclosure and try to deal with the situation on their own. This may leave a child feeling helpless and undermine their sense of agency in the world. Children need to know that it is safe to reach out and communicate their needs and be encouraged to keep doing so until help is received.

Research has indicated that the type of social environment provided to children will influence whether or not they approach someone to tell of their distress or to disclose about maltreatment. For example, Smith and Cook (2008) found that youth who experience family support and openness are more likely to approach their caregivers to disclose sexual assault. Also, when caregivers provide a positive context for youth to discuss sexuality, this increases the likelihood that they would reach out for help when experiencing sexual assault in the future. On the other hand, when children and youth receive negative messages about sexuality or do not feel emotionally safe communicating their distress, they are less likely to reach out (London, et al., 2005; Smith & Cook, 2008; Sorsoli, et al., 2008). These results underscore the importance of a supportive environment for communication and also indicate the necessity of conversations about healthy sexuality with children. These conversations can enhance children’s communication skills and help them express their experiences of maltreatment more clearly (Kenny et al., 2008). Finally, Elliot and colleagues (1995) have found that sexual offenders are less likely to target children who have knowledge about sexual matters.

Most of the research around children’s communication and disclosure of maltreatment involve sexual abuse. Nevertheless, it is essential to recognize that children may approach an adult to communicate about all kinds of maltreatment. Child abuse, regardless of its form, has devastating consequences on a child’s development and outcomes. Therefore, any type of communication or disclosure around abuse by a child must be treated with openness and support to ensure prevention and intervention. Often, communication around or disclosure of abuse may be non-verbal in nature (Alaggia, 2010; Jensen, et al., 2005). For example, temper tantrums have been found to be a possible non-verbal indicator of abuse in young children. Non-verbal indicators in older children and youth may include angry outbursts, substance abuse, eating disorders, and/or running away from home. The fact that children may express their distress or attempt to disclose abuse in non-verbal ways underscores the importance of adults remaining sensitive and open to such indicators and to follow up with children regarding what is troubling them. On the other hand, it is also imperative to recognize that not all children display outward signs of distress and as a result, their distress may go unnoticed.

A number of factors can act as barriers to communication. Researchers have reported that gender may influence how children disclose abuse (London, et al., 2005; Sorsoli, et al., 2008). For example, it has been found that boys may be more reluctant to disclose abuse and may not receive the same response as their female counterparts. This may in part be due to gender stereotypes whereby the male experience of abuse is minimized compared to females. Culture may be another communication barrier as various cultural customs and values may render it difficult for children and youth to come forward to seek help (Smith & Cook, 2008). Adults need to be culturally responsive to children and youth from diverse backgrounds by being open and receptive of different forms of communication influenced by culture.

Another area deserving significant attention is the maltreatment of children with disabilities. It has been found that children with disabilities experience higher rates of all kinds of abuse compared to children without disabilities (Child Welfare Information Gateway, 2012; Jones, et al., 2012; Murphy, 2011; Reteir, et al., 2007). Children with disabilities may have a variety of communication barriers that prevent them from receiving the help they need in the event of abuse. Adults in their immediate social environment (e.g., caregivers, educators, prevention program instructors, etc.) need to recognize and be responsive to the different ways children with disabilities try to communicate their distress. It is important to help children with disabilities enhance their communication skills by including them in discussions about personal safety, healthy relationships, and how to seek help.

Finally, communication about abuse may be direct or indirect. As mentioned earlier, it may manifest verbally, non-verbally, or as indicators. As the receivers of children’s communication, individuals need to be attuned to the different ways they express themselves. Although it is critically important to teach children clear communication especially in the face of personal safety issues, we need to recognize that coming forward to talk about abuse is a vulnerable and emotionally difficult task. When we receive children with the support, warmth, and openness they need during these times, not only are we validating their voices, but we are also ensuring they are on the way to receiving the help they need.