Question

why might children who have been sexually abused struggle to report it? * 1 point
○ because they don’t understand the abuse
○ because reporting is illegal in some states
○ because adults discourage them from speaking
○ because they fear disbelief or punishment

Explanation:

• Option A: Children who have been sexually abused often do understand the wrongness of the abuse, so this is incorrect.
• Option B: Reporting child sexual abuse is a legal and mandatory (in most cases) action to protect children, so this is false.
• Option C: While some abusers (who may be adults) might discourage speaking, the more common and core reason related to the child's own hesitation is fear of not being believed or facing punishment (e.g., from the abuser), so this is not the primary reason compared to D.
• Option D: Children who have been sexually abused often fear that others will not believe their report or that they will face punishment (from the abuser or negative consequences), which is a key reason they struggle to report.

Answer:

D. Because they fear disbelief or punishment