The Impact of Asian Values and Victim Perpetrator Closeness on the Disclosure of Emotional, Physical, and Sexual Abuse

Prior research indicates that survivors of abuse characterized by very close victim perpetrator relationships (VC traumas) are significantly more likely to delay disclosure for 1 or more years, or never to disclose, than survivors of abuse characterized by not very close victim perpetrator relationships (NVC traumas) (M. M. Foynes, J. J. Freyd, & A. P. Deprince, 2009, Child abuse, betrayal and disclosure, Child Abuse & Neglect, 33, 209–217). Nondisclosure of abuse may serve a protective function in that it allows for the maintenance of a necessary, albeit abusive, relationship. This dynamic may be particularly relevant for people who adhere strongly to Asian cultural values of interdependence and may be differentially applicable to disclosure of physical, sexual, and emotional abuse. An online study was conducted with Asian Americans (AAs) and European Americans (EAs; N 266) to test the hypothesis that Asian values, rather than ethnic group membership, would be associated with decreased disclosure of VC abuse, but not affect disclosure of NVC abuse. The impact of Asian values was expected to be the strongest for disclosure of VC sexual abuse. A series of backward stepwise logistic regressions revealed that Asian values, but not ethnicity, were significantly associated with nondisclosure of VC sexual and emotional abuse, but not VC physical abuse. Neither ethnicity nor Asian values was associated with disclosure of any type of NVC abuse. Female gender increased the odds of VC abuse disclosure only. By examining the impact of cultural values on disclosure of particular abuse types and uncovering the limitations of attending to ethnicity alone, we hope to inform efforts toward facilitating recovery from trauma and creating more supportive environments for survivors.