Child Sexual Abuse Survivors’ Grief Experiences After the Death of the Abuser

This qualitative study examined the language of women who were child sexual abuse survivors (N = 16) to gain insight into their grief experiences following the death of their abusers. Participants ranged in age from 22 to 62 years (M = 47.4) and the majority were White, had been abused by a family member, and had sought child sexual abuse-related counseling. Five primary themes emerged during analysis: (a) grief reflecting a complex relationship; (b) loss of opportunity for confrontation, clarity, and connection; (c) funeral as liability, not benefit; (d) others’ lack of understanding of multilayered grief; and (e) coping through transformation. Discussion illuminates sense-making and connections between themes and existing thanatological concepts and research.