"It's much more of a family issue than a legal one": Examining the decision-making process of forensic interviewers in cases of sibling sexual abuse

Sibling sexual abuse (SSA) is defined as a range of childhood sexual behaviors that do not meet the criteria of age-Appropriate curiosity. Despite being perhaps the most prevalent and longest-Term form of sexual abuse within the family -And widely seen as having the worst impact on those involved - SSA is the most underreported and underrated. This study is designed to further our knowledge of this understudied phenomenon by delving into the decision-making processes of practitioners treating SSA families. The decision-making process involved in forensic interviews was analysed in 42 cases of SSA. A qualitative thematic analysis addressed the forensic interviewers' assessment of the children and their families and the decisions they made about child referrals for further treatment. The findings highlight the complexity of practitioners' decision-making in SSA cases and the need to enhance practitioners' knowledge and practice with respect to SSA, specifically where considerable lacunas remain: lack of process standardization, and misunderstanding of family and abuse dynamics. Implications for research, policy, and practice are discussed in the unique cultural context of Israeli society.