Incest, CSA, and the Influence of Celebrity Disclosures: Why Clarity Matters

Recently, there has been increased media attention surrounding celebrity disclosures of incest and early sexual experiences. These stories, often deeply personal, have opened up broader conversations about childhood sexual abuse (CSA). However, when these disclosures are not framed clearly, they risk minimizing the trauma of abuse and potentially misinforming the public on what abuse truly entails.

As someone who works with survivors of complex trauma, including CSA, I want to offer a compassionate and informed perspective on these discussions, especially as they relate to incest, CSA, and the growing awareness of child-on-child sexual abuse.

Incest Is Abuse, Even If It’s Not Named That Way

Incest, even when it involves children, is unequivocally abuse. It is an exploitation of trust and power, especially when the abuse occurs within the family or close-knit relationships. While recent celebrity disclosures may not always use the language of abuse, it's important to recognize that incest is not a normal or healthy part of human development.

A child cannot consent to sexual activity. The psychological and emotional consequences of such abuse can be profound and long-lasting, often leading to issues such as emotional dysregulation, attachment difficulties, and complex trauma [1]. It is crucial for both the public and professionals to frame these conversations accurately to avoid normalizing or diminishing the true impact of incest.

Child-on-Child Sexual Abuse: Growing Awareness and Alarming Risks

In parallel with celebrity disclosures, there is a growing awareness of child-on-child sexual abuse. Many assume that children “experiment” or “act out” their curiosity. Still, these experiences often involve coercion, manipulation, or exposure to harmful sexual behaviours that children should never encounter, such as online pornography.

It's important to distinguish between childhood curiosity, often innocent, mutual, and based in play, and actual abuse. Child-on-child sexual abuse may involve one child exerting power over another, and it is frequently overlooked or minimized as "normal" childhood exploration. This misunderstanding can be dangerous, as it risks allowing harmful behaviour to continue unchecked.

The risks of minimizing child-on-child sexual abuse are profound. When these behaviours are normalized or not addressed, children may grow up to repeat these behaviours with others or develop unhealthy relationships with their own bodies and boundaries [2]. Without intervention, the consequences can extend well into adulthood, affecting relationships, trust, and overall well-being.

Why Minimizing Abuse Is Dangerous

When incidents of incest or child-on-child sexual abuse are downplayed or described as mutual curiosity, we not only misinform the public, but we also undermine the validity of survivors' experiences. Survivors of CSA, whether it occurred in familial relationships or between peers, often face significant emotional distress, including shame, guilt, and confusion. These feelings can be exacerbated when society minimizes the harm or makes excuses for such behaviours [3].

Normalizing child-on-child sexual abuse or incest may create an environment where survivors feel invalidated, ashamed to speak out, or unable to seek the help they need. In the worst cases, it could lead to further incidents of abuse being tolerated or accepted as part of “growing up.”

It is critical that we do not allow this type of harm to become normalized in our culture. Children and adults alike must understand the boundaries of healthy relationships, and society as a whole must reinforce that abuse is never acceptable, no matter the age or relationship between the individuals involved [4].

What Survivors Need From Us

For survivors of CSA, incest, and child-on-child abuse, the path to healing can be long and difficult. Survivors need to know that their experiences are valid, and they need the space to process their trauma without feeling judged or misunderstood. They need public conversations that affirm: this was not your fault.

Equally, survivors need clear definitions of abuse and trauma that help them recognize and name their experiences. This is not about making survivors feel further victimized, but about empowering them to reclaim their stories and find the support they deserve [5].

The Role of Public Disclosures

When framed responsibly, celebrity disclosures can help raise awareness and start critical conversations. However, when these stories fail to adequately label abusive experiences or explore the long-term consequences of such trauma, they risk misinforming the public and minimizing the real impact of CSA.

We need to ensure that these conversations happen with integrity, clarity, and a trauma-informed lens. It's not enough to simply "talk about it"; we need to talk about it in a way that honours the complexity of the experiences, acknowledges the harm done, and prioritizes the voices of survivors [6].

Moving Forward With Responsibility

As we continue to hear disclosures of abuse, it is essential to approach them with sensitivity and understanding. Survivors need to feel supported, not dismissed. We must also be vigilant against the risk of making certain forms of abuse socially acceptable, even inadvertently. The stakes are too high.

By fostering clear, informed dialogue, we can help to shift the narrative around CSA and incest away from misunderstanding and stigma, and toward empathy, healing, and prevention.

Footnotes:

1. Herman, J. L. (1992). Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence—From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books.

2. Wolfe, D. A., & McIsaac, C. (2011). Child Sexual Abuse: A Parent’s Guide to Prevention and Support. HarperCollins.

3. Courtois, C. A., & Ford, J. D. (2009). Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach. Guilford Press.

4. Finkelhor, D., & Jones, L. M. (2006). Preventing Child Sexual Abuse: A Decade of Progress and Future Directions. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30(6), 529-530.

5. Tolin, D. F. (2007). Treating Trauma and Traumatic Grief in Children and Adolescents. Guilford Press.