This introductory text highlights key insights from the article “Sibling sexual abuse: What do we know? What do we need to know? Stage 1 analysis of a 2-stage scoping review,” authored by Peter Yates, Eve Mullins, Amy Adams, and Stephanie Kewley. Published in Child Abuse & Neglect in 2025, this paper presents the initial stage of a crucial two-stage scoping review.
Background and Significance: Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is identified as a common form of intra-familial sexual abuse. Despite its prevalence and potential for devastating, long-term consequences on children, parents, other siblings, and the wider family (e.g., depression, substance misuse), SSA remains significantly under-studied and under-recognised. This lack of attention leaves many children unprotected and unsupported, highlighting an urgent need for rigorously conducted evidence syntheses to inform decision-making in this complex area.
Objective and Methodology: The broad research question guiding this scoping review was: “What is known about sibling sexual abuse?”. The objective was to map existing research to establish areas of knowledge and identify gaps requiring further attention. The review meticulously followed the guidelines of Arksey and O’Malley (2005). Researchers conducted extensive searches across 11 academic databases, 3 grey literature databases, and supplemented this with journal handsearches and Google searches. This comprehensive process identified 91 empirical papers for review, forming the core sample for this stage of analysis.
Key Findings and Contributions: The review found that SSA, while poorly and inconsistently defined across studies, is a common form of child sexual abuse with significant consequences for the entire family. It can involve:
- Children of any age and sex.
- The full range of sexual behaviours.
- Families from across the socioeconomic spectrum.
Notably, disclosure of SSA is uncommon during childhood due to multiple barriers, including the nature of the caregiving environment. Official records are also likely to under-report its frequency and duration. This paper represents the most comprehensive overview of the current body of knowledge in this field to date, presenting key findings and offering vital practice and research recommendations. The authors emphasize the considerable scope for further research across all aspects of SSA to enhance understanding and support children, families, professionals, and survivors.
Reference for the Article:
Yates, P., Mullins, E., Adams, A., & Kewley, S. (2025). Sibling sexual abuse: What do we know? What do we need to know? Stage 1 analysis of a 2-stage scoping review. Child Abuse & Neglect, 162, 107076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2024.107076