Shadows of doubt: Ambivalent acknowledgment of abuse and identification with the aggressor

Background: Child sexual abuse (CSA) not only poses a substantial risk to the mental and physical health of adult survivors, but it may also involve doubt around its labeling, a phenomenon known as ambivalent acknowledgment. The trauma literature suggests that ambivalent acknowledgment has clinical, legal, and social consequences, and that the unique victim-perpetrator dynamic, manifested in identification with the aggressor (IWA), may contribute to this phenomenon. However, no study has yet explored the relationship between IWA and ambivalent acknowledgment. Objective: Addressing this gap, the present study examined the relationship between IWA and ambivalent acknowledgment, as well as the contribution of IWA profile type in explaining ambivalent acknowledgment beyond CSA features. Participants and setting: The sample consisted of 437 CSA survivors, with a mean age of 34.10 (S·D = 9.5). Of these, 106 (24.3 %) acknowledged CSA, while the remaining 331 (75.7 %) reported ambivalent acknowledgment. Methods: An online survey was conducted among Israeli female adults using self-report measures. Results: Results indicated that ambivalent acknowledgment was related to higher levels of IWA, and respondents with a higher IWA profile were more than twice (OR = 2.59) as likely to belong to the ambivalent acknowledgment group, even after accounting for the perpetrator's gender, the perpetrator’ role in the victim's life, the severity of the abuse, and the recurrence of the abuse. Conclusions: These findings suggest that survivors' ambiguity around CSA labeling may be rooted in IWA. Therefore, the development of therapeutic approaches aimed at reducing IWA may help survivors to acknowledge their abuse.