[SQWishian]

if i admitted during therapy that i was sexually abused when i was younger, would they have to notify the authorities or anything? i've seen stuff saying they have to if it's a minor, but it happened well over a decade ago, and i'm an adult now. i haven't had any contact with the person who did it since it happened, and never will again (said person moved across the country before i was out of elementary school, and i have no reason why i'd ever have to have any contact with them again).
i'm just really worried that if i decided to go to therapy about what happened (which i know i probably need to, because it's taken a really, really horrible toll on me) and told the therapist, they'd have to report it to the police or something. i really don't want to go through that, and i honestly don't think i can. it's extremely difficult to make myself talk about it (both on a psychological level and because my voice just seems to completely shut down if i try), so i just can't imagine ever being able to talk about it to someone like a police officer or something who i don't really know. i'm not even sure that one of my parents knows about it (my other parent was the one i initially told when i was younger who seperated me from the person who did it and kept it from happening again after i told them), and i just can't imagine them knowing (assuming they don't already know, and i don't think they do). it would absolutely break their heart like it did to my other parent, not to mention the risk of other people finding out about it. and honestly, the thing that scares me the most is the possibility that it would draw the attention of the person who abused me. he's been out of my life for a long time, and i want it to stay that way. i don't want to draw his attention at all, because even though i'm older now and it's probably really stupid of me, i'm still terrified of him.
this is probably really dumb and i'm sorry it'a just been on my mind a lot recently

I did some digging and found this link. This seems to indicate that psychologists are only legally required to report ongoing abuse so it is most likely that your case would not fall under that category. You could also probably mention it in vague terms to see if they are required to report that sort of thing. I don't think they can force you to say who it is if no one else is currently being abused to your knowledge.

they would not tell, since it breaks client confidentiality which is a BIG part of being a therapist. Especially since you're an adult now, they really can't do anything for you (it was SO long ago) and if it wasn't someone currently in your life currently harming you then there's nothing that would even be done, regardless.

honestly… it's sad but a lot of people have been abused as children. we wouldn't even have the time or resources to locate EVERY ONE that had harmed a minor, esp since some minors don't even remember the person's name or what they looked like depending on how old they were when said abuse had occured… You'll be okay with telling a therapist, they'll want to help you and maybe prescribe you a medication if you've being affected by it and are having problems ;o;