A FIVE PHASE PATTERN TO CSA 

There is a pattern to interfamilial sexual abuse and other sexual abuse that starts in childhood and continues into adulthood. The process evolves and progresses in five (5) phases (Sgroi 1982, 1988):

1. engagement phase, the perpetrator induces the child into a special relationship, some perpetrators really make children feel they are special, chosen, preferred
2. sexual interaction phase, sexual behaviour moves from less intimate to intimate forms of abuse
3. secrecy phase, don’t tell or else…
4. disclosure phase, the abuse is discovered
5. suppression phase, the family pressures child to retract his or her statements