Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a phenomenon that receives attention from researchers and practitioners worldwide. An unknown percent of cases are disclosed bravely by children to authorities. One part of those children’s journey can involve the legal process, which aims to decide whether a crime happened and, if so, to sentence the offender. To do so, a considerable amount of evidence is required. Part of what makes CSA cases complex is that the child’s word is often the only evidence. There are growing discussions concerning the importance of children’s participation in the legal process, pointing to its contribution to practitioners’ decision-making as well as children’s wellbeing. The current scoping review aimed to examine the existing knowledge regarding how children experience and perceive participation in the legal process following CSA. Although this issue has been previously addressed, the current study was designed to systematically spotlight studies that pinpoint children’s perceptions and experiences. Using PRISMA guidelines, 17 manuscripts in peer-reviewed journals over the last 11 years were identified. The analysis yielded a major theme of children’s need for validation, with four subthemes relating to the need to be protected, the need to be seen and heard, the need to be believed, and the need to be provided with support. The themes and how they relate to other aspects of sexually abused children’s lives are discussed as well as practical implications for future studies. The main conclusion relates to the necessity for a holistic approach with children throughout the legal process.

儿童性虐待（CSA）是一种受到全世界研究人员和从业者关注的现象。儿童勇敢地向当局透露的案件比例未知。这些孩子的旅程的一部分可能涉及法律程序，其目的是确定是否发生了犯罪，如果发生了，则对罪犯判刑。为此，需要大量的证据。CSA 案件之所以复杂，部分原因在于孩子的话往往是唯一的证据。关于儿童参与法律程序的重要性的讨论越来越多，指出其对从业人员的决策以及儿童福祉的贡献。目前的范围界定审查旨在审查有关儿童如何体验和看待参与 CSA 后法律程序的现有知识。尽管这个问题之前已经得到解决，但当前的研究旨在系统地重点关注查明儿童看法和经历的研究。使用 PRISMA 指南，确定了过去 11 年中同行评审期刊中的 17 篇手稿。分析得出了儿童需要被认可的一个主要主题，以及四个子主题，分别涉及需要被保护、需要被看到和听到、需要被相信以及需要被提供支持。讨论了这些主题及其与性虐待儿童生活其他方面的关系，以及对未来研究的实际影响。主要结论涉及在整个法律程序中对儿童采取整体方法的必要性。