“The Victims Become the Scapegoats” - Victim-Survivors’ Experiences of Children’s Harmful Sexual Behavior

Victim-survivors of children's harmful sexual behaviors have rarely been given a voice in academic research. The aim of this study, funded by the Australian National Centre for Action on Child Sexual Abuse, was to establish how victim-survivors interpret their experiences of harmful sexual behavior. Research questions were as follows: (1) How do victim-survivors interpret their experiences of harmful sexual behavior? (2) How do researchers inform those interpretations? Twenty-five victim-survivors of children's harmful sexual behavior participated. Interpretivist Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted for the methodological design. Semi-structured interviews were carried out between October 2023 and January 2024. Five constructs emerged through the data analysis: (1) Shifting identities; (2) Unspeakable betrayal; (3) Tenacious resistance; (4) Alternative justice; and (5) Hard-won recovery. The results are discussed in relation to knowledge translation into policy and practice, and the current evidence base.