How Children Cope With Sexual Abuse

The Lifelong Scars Childhood Sexual Victimization Leaves Behind

Mar 20, 2009

Children who are being abused are generally powerless to stop it by themselves. Attempts may be made to shield themselves from the abuse.

Abused children may feel powerless, alone and feel that they are not worthy of love. Sexual abuse can interfere dramatically with the social, emotional, physical and intellectual development of the child.

Establishing independence and intimacy are harder for survivors who may have problems with basic trust, autonomy and Initiative. Their ability to form stable relationships and develop healthy self-esteem can be seriously affected by sexual victimization in childhood.

Male Victims are Molested More Often by Perpetrators Outside of the Family

Body memories or flashbacks of the abuse are common symptoms of child sexual abuse, as are feelings of intense shame, distrust, a sense of powerlessness and feelings of isolation and alienation. Some survivors may even experience delusions, amnesia or strange behaviour from the intensity of the trauma.

Sexual abuse is also implicated in learning disabilities, prostitution, and the growing numbers of youth living on the streets, all of which place tremendous stress on social institutions and human services.

Some of the factors which may determine the severity of trauma include the use of threats, force or terror, the age of the child when abuse begins, the nature and duration of the abuse, the relationship with the abuser, the secrecy surrounding the abuse, the clarity of the 'victim' and 'abuser' roles, the reaction following disclosure and the nature of any subsequent therapy.

Trauma from childhood sexual abuse can leave lasting scars which can adversely affect health in adulthood. In fact, high rates of childhood sexual abuse (between 73% and 90%) have been found among patients with multiple personality disorder. Females with post-traumatic stress disorder also report high levels of childhood sexual abuse (Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women Fact Sheet, 1993).

Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse may be More Vulnerable to Repeat Victimization

“The risk of rape, sexual harassment, or battering, though high for all women, is approximately doubled for survivors of abuse,” says a 1993 Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women report entitled " Changing the Landscape: Ending Violence - Achieving Equality.” Also, the vast majority of survivors don't abuse or neglect their own children although the sex of the survivor has a bearing on this.

In British Columbia, the Canadian Mental Health Association randomly reviewed 30 cases between 1985 and 1989 in which numerous victims were abused by one offender. In 50% of the cases, the majority of victims were male. Two-thirds of the children had adjustment problems prior to the abuse. Many came from troubled families and had learning or behavioral disorders, handicaps, communication deficits and/or a history of physical or sexual abuse.

Disclosing abuse is often a slow process. A child may tell the story in small pieces, testing the reactions to see if it is safe to tell more. Some children survive sexual abuse relatively unscathed; others are profoundly traumatized. Wounds left behind can be deep and enduring.

The copyright of the article How Children Cope With Sexual Abuse in Sexual Abuse is owned by Kimberley Powell. Permission to republish How Children Cope With Sexual Abuse in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.