How The Repercussions Of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Studies have shown a clear correlation between childhood sexual assault (CSA) and negative sexual experiences later in life. Of relevance to the criminal justice system, these later forms of sexual victimization include sexual assault and sex work. The relationship between CSA and adverse sexual development is a correlation between two things, not a direct pathway from cause to effect. While survivors of sexual assault are at a higher risk of experiencing these later forms of victimization, this correlation represents a highly complex process involving a wide range of mediating factors and the intersections between them. Any experience of sexual assault is highly traumatic. Survivors of CSA, however, represent a unique population, because their trauma occurs near the start of the human developmental process and therefore alters all development thereafter.

The effects of childhood sexual abuse carry on with the children forever. To what extent and to what effect does abuse have on children during adulthood? What are the main issues that adults have been abused suffer from in adulthood? Do they have more of a physical issue with preforming with their partner in the bedroom or do they have more of a mental block due to their trauma? The world had been asking these questions for far too long and we need answers on how helping the children of our world. The questions that have been stated have been answered through the two articles that will be summarized below.

Being sexually abused is a very traumatizing experience, and this form of victimization at a young age only amplifies the situation. The mortifying nature of child sexual abuse often brings along with it changes in the victim's life. Some of the numerous short term effects (problems that impact them while they are still at a young

Most research indicates that about ninety percent of juvenile sex offenders are male. However, there is also research indicating there may be a considerable underrepresentation of the female juvenile offender in data. According to Schwartz, Cavanaugh, Pimental, and Prentky, although the vast majority of sexually aggressive youth are male, the proportion that is female appears to be much greater than is commonly observed among adult sex offenders, which may indicate that abuse by adolescent females is reported at a significantly lower rate than abuse by male adolescents (2006). One explanation for this is that the general public tends to struggle with the idea that a young woman could be capable of such perverse behavior. It should also be considered that male victims may have more difficulty reporting a sexual crime against them when the perpetrator is someone that society has taught them is the inferior gender (Hendriks, Bijleveld 2006). As a whole, female abusers have been researched very little, and juvenile female abusers have been virtually ignored in the field of criminological study.

This paper reviews several articles that discuss the lasting effects that sexual abuse can have on a child into their adult years. The articles agree that victims of child sexual abuse (CSA) will most likely suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or experience revictimization. This paper will also address the common forms of coping that victims of child sexual abuse take part in. Some research will touch on proper healing techniques for victims of CSA to receive.

The statistical evidence of young female juveniles describes by journalist Linda Lowen. Lowen says young girls who were subjected to many different mental health issues and some form of abuse have often led to delinquent conduct. Abuse, such as, physical, mental, sexual, and emotional abuse is the most commonplace behind a juvenile’s girl’s negative behavior. In the United States, seventy-three percent of young girls have been abused. Just over forty percent of young girls have been victims of sexual assault or rape. Girls who have been abused or neglected are twice as likely to be arrested as other girls (Lowen, 2014).

Other times, unfortunately, the offender may be an immediate family member, close relative or family friend that the child knows and loves. In a study conducted by Ullman (2007), 733 college students completed a self-administered survey. The survey was twenty pages in length and asked students about personal CSA experiences. One section of the survey specifically asked about perpetrator identity, which was divided into three separate groups: stranger, neighbor/acquaintance, or relative. Subsequently, the degree of emotional closeness to the perpetrator before and after the abuse took place was assessed by single-item Likert-style questions. Results of this study showed that abuse by relatives was more severe than abuse by strangers or acquaintances, and abuse began at a significantly younger age for victims of relatives than for victims of acquaintances (Ullman 2007). As expected, the results of this study also showed that more PTSD symptoms were found in victims who were abused by a relative. Consistent with this finding, Bornstein, Kaplan, and Perry (2007) reported that sexual abuse, whether mild or severe, was rated by victims as more traumatic and severe if the perpetrator was a parent rather than a babysitter. The results of this particular finding are illustrated in the following

. (Stewart, ) contends that feelings of vulnerability, unworthiness and powerless difficulty in distinguishing sexual from affectionate behaviours, mistrust, shame, guilt, stigma and mental health problems are psychological effects of CSA. A study conducted by (Wilson, 2010) indicates that adult survivors of CSA show a series of psychological and physical problems throughout their lives. (Hornor, 2010) argues that the majority of children who are sexually abused will be moderately to severely symptomatic at some point in their life. There is evidence to suggest that (Stevenson, 1999) children who are exposed to sexual abuse are at risk negative consequences as a result of the abuse itself, not solely as a consequence of other associated background

Family violence is always disheartening. Childhood sexual abuse is by far the worse. There are many forms of childhood sexual abuse. The sexual abuse can involve seduction by a beloved relative or it can be a violent act committed by a stranger. Childhood sexual trauma causes psychological, interpersonal, and behavioral. This paper will show a first account of the impact of childhood trauma.

Childhood sexual abuse is a serious concern that has been associated with long term effects amongst survivors. Using secondary data, this qualitative piece of research explores the long term effects of child sexual abuse in later adult life. The purpose for this study is to create awareness to professionals that sexual abuse effects continue long after the abuse stops thus, sufficient knowledge on the characteristics of the abuse.

Studies done by David Finkelhor, Director of the Crime Against Children Research Center, show that about one in five girls and about one in twenty boys are victims of child sexual abuse. Over the course of their lifetime, 28% of U.S. youth’s aged 14 to 17 have been sexually victimized. According to the 2003 National institute of Justice report three out of four adolescent children have been sexually violated by someone they knew very well (Child Abuse Statistics , 2012). The figure below represents children’s exposure to violence in 2011 by the child’s age. The graph shows that children from the ages fourteen to seventeen were sexually victimized the most while children aged zero to one were least exposed sexually (Childrens Exposure to Violence , 2013).

Sexual abuse can start at any age. Children do not know any better then what they are told, so they think what their parent or parents are doing to them is acceptable by touching them seductivly on parts of their genital area. Their is a complete difference in the way a parent or care giver touches a child unacceptably versus acceptably which is by wiping the child's genital areas to just remove just poop or pee to clean the child so they are healthy. Unacceptably is when the child is being touched excessively for pure pleasure this is illegal and should be reported if seen. This is how it starts off and becomes more and more intense over time. At first the child does not feel forced into this or feels threatened because they have so much trust at such a

The researchers strengthen their validity of victim responses. “Professionals who had referred victims for the current study were consulted prior to or following interview.” (Denov 1141) Also “participants’ experiences were compared and contrasted for patterns either made explicit by participants or derived from implicit connection.” (Denov 1141) The researchers reported that since the sample size was small this research cannot be generalized to the wider population of victims sexual abused by women. Information found from this research makes sense. It showed that women perpetrators were harmful for

Female sex offending is an understudied phenomenon; consequently, there are scarcity amounts of studies within the last decade on female sexual offenders in the educational system (Martin, 2015; Blokland & Lussier, 2015; Kingston, 2014; McLeod, 2014; Ratliff & Watson, 2013; Austin, Plumm, Terrace, & Terrell, 2013; Solis & Benedek, 2012; Bexson, 2011; Knoll, 2010; Morgenbesser, 2010; and Wijkman, Bijleveld, and Hendricks, 2010). Previous studies have reported the behavior and characteristics of female sexual offenders to establish the profile for females who perpetrate abuse against children (for example, Ferguson & Meehan, 2005; Grayston & DeLuca 1999; and Faller, 1995). There is a consensus among social scientists that the factors thought

Since doctors usually work in a surgery or hospital clinic, the diagnosis will be made following a process of history-taking and examining the child. Pediatricians see children as their patients and are therefore bound to come into contact with child sexual abuse. Some of these children may have symptoms and signs, and if they have not disclosed the abuse they depend on a doctor to initiate concern about it. Both doctors and children will benefit from medical practice that accepts and recognizes a level of medical concern expressed in terms of 'reasonable medical certainty' (Faller, 2009).