Space-time, offender, others and me: Towards a conceptual model of child sexual abuse based on survivors’ perspectives

The current manuscript introduces a theoretical framework for subjective experiences of child sexual abuse (CSA) based on studies with child and adult survivors. The model comprises four main domains: space-time (conventional and conceptual); offender (identity and abuse dynamics); others (family members and formal and informal figures and their absence or presence during and after the abuse); and me (self-perceptions during and after the abuse). Each of these domains is illustrated by qualitative studies, highlighting the model's relevance to the survivors’ lived experience. The model stresses the importance of the four domains and their interrelations, which capture the multifaceted nature of CSA based on the subjective experiences of child survivors, whose voices are often silenced or oversimplified. Its contribution to future research and practice is discussed, with emphasis on its ability to inform future evaluation, intervention and prevention efforts.