Results revealed differences in the ways mothers reacted to disclosures of child sexual abuse (CSA) based on the type of abuse sustained by the mothers. Mothers who were psychologically or emotionally abused displayed avoidant coping styles in dealing with the sexual abuse of their child. Indeed, their reactions to disclosure of CSA paralleled the denial and rationalization techniques they used to cope with their own abuse. Physically abused mothers, on the other hand, displayed less ambivalence about the abuse and were more supportive of their children. Physically abused women also reported less ambivalence about leaving the abusive relationship after the disclosure of CSA. The findings also noted that some CSA survivors did not disclose the sexual abuse because of fear created by exposure to woman abuse. A secondary analysis of data was employed that drew on interview transcripts from two qualitative studies exploring the dynamics of woman abuse and its impact on maternal response to disclosure of CSA. Eight interview transcripts were examined from the maternal response study and four interview transcripts were examined from the adult survivor study. Brief descriptions of these studies and their methodology are presented. The grounded theory approach using constant comparative method was used to analyze transcript data. Implications for practice are discussed and include the caution that the identification of psychological and emotional abuse can be a slow process involving both ambivalence and self-doubt. Tables, references