Responding to Delayed Disclosure of Sexual Assault in Health Settings: A Systematic Review Stephanie Lanthierl '2, Janice Du Monti'2, and Robin Masonl '2 TILAU14A. VIOLENCE & ABUSE I.IS taThe Author(%) 2016 RAVWS and nommen sagcpubconqourndinermaneasnar DC. 101 I77/152d0S0146$9464 rasageptincon OSAGE Abstract Few adolescent and adult women seek out formal support services in the acute period (7 days or less) following a sexual assault. Instead. many women choose to disclose weeks. months. or even years later. This delayed disclosure may be challenging to support workers. including those in health-care settings. who lack the knowledge and skills to respond effectively. We con- ducted a systematic literature review of health-care providers' responses to delayed disclosure by adolescent and adult female sexual assault survivors. Our primary objective was to determine how health-care providers can respond appropriately when presented with a delayed sexual assault disclosure in their practice. Arising out of this analysis, a secondary objective was to document recommendations from the articles for health-care providers on how to create an environment conducive to disclosing and support disclosure in their practice. These recommendations for providing an appropriate response and sup- porting disclosure are summarized. Keywords sexual assault, adolescent victims, adult victims, reporting/disclosure, support seeking Sexual assault in adolescence and adulthood is a pervasive. violent crime that results in a significant trauma to victims, with negative health impacts that can persist for appreciable amounts of time (Cahill, 2009). Although research has shown that men and transgendered persons experience sex- ual assault (Du Mont, Macdonald, White, & Turner, 2013; Mcdonald & Tijerino, 2013), it is women who continue to be disproportionately impacted (World Health Organization, 2013). Women who have been sexually assaulted report poorer health and