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Paper short abstract:

Exploring whether there is an influence of Jamaican culture on the disclosure and help-seeking behaviours of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) survivors. The literature review highlights the effects of stigma, limited social support, legal challenges, and cultural norms on CSA survivors in Jamaica.

Paper long abstract:

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) remains a global concern with far-reaching implications for survivors' mental health. This research proposal focuses on investigating the intricate interplay between Jamaican culture and the disclosure and help-seeking behaviours of CSA survivors. A thorough literature review uncovers pervasive themes such as stigma, limited social support, legal challenges, and cultural norms affecting CSA survivors in Jamaica, forming the foundation for the research questions and objectives. The study employs a qualitative methodology, specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), conducting semi-structured interviews with eight Jamaican-origin adult CSA survivors. Participant recruitment utilises diverse channels, including social media platforms, membership magazines, and snowball sampling, ensuring representation of Jamaican origin, CSA survivorship, mental health background, therapy experience, and PTSD symptom absence for over a year. The research places significant emphasis on ethical considerations, ensuring participant confidentiality, safety, and well-being through informed consent, transcript validation, and adherence to ethical guidelines. The analytical process of IPA involves a meticulous examination of transcripts, theme development, and interpretation, presenting findings interpretively with verbatim extracts. The study's significance lies in its potential to offer subtle insights, address existing gaps, and inform interventions, ultimately contributing to the enhancement of mental health services for CSA survivors in Jamaica.