Nancy Morris

Nancy Morris, MSc Applied Psychology, is a sibling sexual abuse survivor, researcher, and activist based in Ottawa, Canada. Her mission is to reduce the stigma of sibling sexual abuse through education, engagement, and advocacy so society has real opportunities for prevention where SSA has not yet happened and intervention where it has.

Host of the #SiblingsToo podcast since 2018, she has interviewed academics, professionals, survivors, and families sharing heartfelt stories and real science.

Nancy is the founder of ICESSA (International Centre of Expertise on Sibling Sexual Abuse) and organized the first International #SiblingsToo Day in 2023 and again in 2024. These online events bring together a worldwide collaboration of professionals and lived experience experts to not only continue the academic discussion of SSA but push the conversation deeper into society to ensure sibling sexual abuse no longer remains a hidden taboo in our families and communities.

The #SiblingsToo Research Project has collected hundreds of stories from those harmed, those who cause harm, parents, and other family members impacted by SSA. These contribute to various research and intervention projects worldwide. Nancy is also involved in a documentary series under development in the United States and intervention programs in the UK.

Nancy also offers public information sessions about SSA, its impacts and prevention to parents, schools, academics, practitioners, and the media from both her professional and lived experience perspectives.

Here are a few of the topics that can be covered generally and in detail:

• The global prevalence and impact of sibling sexual abuse
• Why SSA is more preventable than other forms of child sexual abuse
• How SSA affects the whole community, not just the children or family
• Signs to watch out for within the family
• Myths about those who cause harm
• International research projects and approaches to intervention
• Things adult survivors tell us
• Where does the law fit in to all of this
• Obstacles and opportunities for hope

Some interesting food for thought:

• 1 in 10 families are believed to be directly affected by SSA
• It is thought to be 3 times more prevalent than parent-to-child abuse and just as impactful
• 88% of child abuse survivors don't tell anyone until adulthood, if at all
• Almost 100% of perpetrators of SSA harm will not reveal their behavior unless it is disclosed by another
• However, at least 90% of SSA perpetrators will not go on to harm anyone else, except perhaps themselves
• Research consistently shows that most of those who cause sexual harm to their siblings are NOT "predators in training"
• SSA is directly linked to teen and adult homelessness and suicides for both survivors and perpetrators
• Its impact is felt through addictions, depression and anxiety, PTSD, lifelong relationship issues, physical and mental health issues, cPTSD and self-harm.
• Worldwide, 1 in 20 children are experiencing sibling sexual abuse today, which is at least one child in every school classroom.
• Tens of millions of adult survivors and perpetrators are still dealing with the trauma of SSA
• Society is a significant contributor to the silence that surrounds SSA even though we are all directly impacted by it through the factors above.
• Importantly, the factors that make SSA different from other forms of child sexual abuse are the factors that make it far more preventable.