“The abuse explains why I am a certain way”: post-abuse disclosures in romantic relationships

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper presents the results of an exploratory study that investigates the goals, characteristics, and relational effects of disclosure following experiences of relational abuse and image-based sexual abuse (IBSA) in a current relationship that the survivors (n = 85) would characterize as not abusive using a multiple goals framework. Findings suggest that the overwhelming majority (93%) of survivors did disclose, to some extent, their experience of relational abuse to a current partner. Less than half of the sample (45.9%) experienced IBSA, and a smaller majority of that portion of the sample did disclose it to a partner to some extent (64%). Content of the conversations and disclosures focused on how the participant felt about the abuse, rather than the specific details, triggers, and mental health impacts, everything about the abusive experience, and a focus on partner reactions. Despite the results of the qualitative analyses characterizing these disclosures as both relationally impactful and contingent on the type and severity of relational abuse, both correlation and regression analyses did not support a significant relationship between type and severity and abuse and extent of disclosure. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.