Delayed Disclosure and Its Impact on Investigations: A Quantitative Analysis of Sexual Crimes Against Minors

• In Event: Child Sexual Abuse: Prevalence, Patterns, and Penalties

Abstract

While delayed reporting is a well-documented phenomenon, its specific consequences for evidentiary challenges and the overall effectiveness of criminal trials remain underexplored. This presentation presents the results of a quantitative analysis of adjudicated (or otherwise legally concluded) case files (n=171) from Poland, conducted at the Institute of Justice. The study examines the correlation between the time elapsed between the offence and its disclosure and judicial or prosecutorial outcomes. Findings indicate that most cases of sexual abuse against minors are reported either immediately or within days of the incident. In the analyzed cases, the average age of victims at the time of the offence was approximately 12 years, while the average age at disclosure was around 13 years (and the age of consent in Poland is set at 15—aligning with European standards). Most reports were filed within a relatively short timeframe, ranging from immediate reporting to several days after the abuse. However, a small number of extreme delays heavily influences the mean values. Interestingly, and somewhat counterintuitively, the time elapsed between the offence and disclosure did not correlate with case outcomes (conviction, acquittal, or other).

Author

• Piotr Lewulis, University of Warsaw