Considering Family Reconnection and Reunification after Child Sexual Abuse

Definitions
Family Clarification, Reconnection, and Reunification
For the purposes of this guide, clarification, family reconnection, and
family reunification are very different phases in a much longer process to
assure family safety.
Even when a serious betrayal has occurred, the basic human instinct is to restore
connection with someone who has played a significant role in one’s life (McCullough, 2008).
For those outside the family, and often for non-offending family members, the shattered
trust inherent in the abusive interactions may be the dominant, if not sole focus. However,
the child who was abused may remember the betrayal in a more complex context of a rich,
often-nurturing relationship with a parent, sibling, or relative. Over time, the urge to regain
the positive aspects of the relationship (with a hope of the abusive elements being absent)
can remain strong. The result may be ambivalent feelings, rather than outright rejection of
the abusive family member.
In the age of social media, the opportunity to initiate reconnection in small ways and even
over the objection of legal or familial authorities is difficult to eliminate. Acknowledging the
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