Childhood Sexual Abuse

As time progresses on, more reports of child sexual abuse (CSA) have been documented. According to Colangelo and Cooperman, CSA is defined as “the use of a child under 18 years of age as an object of gratification for adult sexual needs and desires.” Another definition of CSA is “sexual abuse [that] occurs whenever one person dominates and exploits another by means of sexual activity or suggestion.” (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011) it is difficult to

While negative effects manifest differently in females than males, the abuse is equally damaging to both genders. In my experience, most male CSA victims are riddled with feelings of guilt and shame. Most often their abuse was perpetrated by a trusted male during a critical time in development. Although the sexual contact was unsolicited and unwanted, their body had a physiological response to stimulation. This confusion often contributes to the victim’s belief that the abuse was somehow their fault, therefore “causing an unwillingness to admit to being victimized, and difficulty making negative attributions regarding an otherwise positive person” Ondersma et al.). Rind’s utilization of a college sample excludes the aforementioned male CSA victims. Since their maladaptive behaviors often lead to addiction, delinquency, and poor academic performance, males who suffered more maladaptive effects are very unlikely to be included in a college sample. Therefore, Rind’s findings can’t be accurately generalized to the majority

Like Fresno et al., Meyer et al. (2017) found a direct relationship between CSA and attachment style—this time following survivors into adulthood. Meyer et al. were interested in the persistent complications of CSA into adulthood, including adult attachment styles. They hypothesized that CSA directly leads to insecure attachment, especially avoidant and anxious attachment, which in return results in maladaptive emotion regulation and inappropriate behaviors. They also hypothesized that women who experienced CSA would be closely associated with anxious attachment and CSA men would be associated with avoidant attachment. Meyer et al. explored this by administering an online survey advertised to local college campuses, community organizations, mental health counseling groups, and local 12-step sexual addiction treatment groups. The survey measured attachment style outcome using the Close Relationships Scale. Out of 751 participants, 129 or 16% of participants reported experiencing CSA (32 males and 97 females). The results showed that those with CSA in their history were more likely to have an anxious adult attachment, and surprisingly found no relationship for avoidant attachment. This is a direct relationship between CSA history and insecure adult attachment, and was found to not be mediated by gender. There were no gender differences as both men and women were likely to

19). A great majority of children that are sexually abused will show moderate to severe symptoms at some point in their life (Hornor, 2010). The degree of symptomatic behavior depends on the type and severity of sexual abuse, the age and gender of the child, the age and gender of the perpetrator, the relationship between the child and the perpetrator, accompanying physical abuse, and the number, frequency, and duration of abuse (Bahali et al., 2010). Short-term effects of CSA include: impulsive behavior (aggressiveness, hostility), emotional distress (anxiety, fear, and somatic complaints), low self-esteem, dissociative symptoms (amnesia, forgetfulness, dreaming, multiple personality disorder, and fainting), and conversion disorder (Bahali et al., 2010). Long-term effects include: post-traumatic stress disorder, depressive disorder, sexual dysfunction, borderline personality disorder, somatization, eating disorders, self-destructive or suicidal behavior, repeated victimization, criminal behavior, substance abuse and prostitution (Bahali et al., 2010). In agreement, Ozbaran et al., (2008) reported that sexually abused children have a high incidence of behavior problems including anxiety, depression, attention problems, aggression, social problems, social withdrawal, and somatization. Genital CSA is

& Li, 2001). With the brain developing at its fastest rate in childhood, it is especially

The study hypothesize that CSA survivors would have difficulty forming secure, intimate, nonabusive relationships and that CSA survivors are at risk for depression in low quality intimate relationships. Despite the overall quality of their intimate relationships, those that were severely abused reported feeling more anxious about their attachment to their partners (Aube, Judd & Whiffen, 1999). The partner that had a history of sexual abuse reported feeling unloved and abandoned by their partner but at the same time they felt like they could depend on them when they needed them. In adult attachment theory, this states that the survivor is experiencing an anxious attachment style. A limitation of this study was that they sampled women that were

Challenges have varied throughout my life in both health complications and society itself. Early trauma has conflicted my mom for sometime whose brothers died in a horrendous drowning accident in 1979 . As life progressed and I came into the world, drug addiction and other illnesses manifested in our outside family, eventually making its way to my older sister. These events at a young age helped me understand reality faster than a normal person.

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.

“Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.”

Childhood Sexual Abuse, hereafter referred as CSA, is defined as a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation (Sigurdardottir, S., & Halldorsdotti, S. 2013). In many states, the legal definition of child molestation is defined as an act of a person—adult or child—who forces, coerces or threatens a child to have any form of sexual contact or to engage in any type of sexual activity at the perpetrator’s direction (Child 2014). However, research in this topic is scares and variable due to the fact that many people do not report cases. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Children’s Bureau report Child Maltreatment 2010 reported that 9.2% of victimized children were

“In their controversial 1998 meta-analytic study, Rind, Tromovitch, and Bauserman concluded that the harm resulting from childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is not necessarily intense or pervasive, and that the consensus that CSA is associated with long-term maladjustment is flawed” (Heusser & Elkonin 2014). However, according to Briere and Elliott (2003), child sexual abuse and the effects it have on someone have been studied over the last three decades. Because of the growing literature when it comes to the subject, it is safe to specify that on-going psychological problems among those who have been sexually abused as a child are more common than those who have been fortunate enough to not had those traumatic events occur to them. As a child, when something as traumatic as being sexual abused occurs, they usually are silent about the acts because they may feel as if it is their fault that something like that happened to them. They are also silenced by their abuser, which in many cases is someone they know, like a close relative or babysitter with them making promises to them. The promises can either be negative or positive; a positive promise would be buying their silence by actually getting them whatever it is that they may want, whereas the negative promise being that they may harm them physically or promising that an adult would not believe them if they told. In most cases, children who have been traumatized see the world as a frightening and dangerous place. When childhood trauma is not resolved, a sense of fear and helplessness carries over into adulthood, which can possibly lead to further trauma. Because of the tardiness of being bought to one's attention and the negative aspect of the memory, it

The wide variety of potentially harmful consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) can also be better identified and understood when considering the abuse circumstances. Factors such as the severity of the abusive act, victim’s age, the frequency and duration of the abuse, the relationship the victim had with their abuser and if physical violence was involved are all key factors that contribute to the degree of trauma experienced by the victim and the varies long-term harmful consequences experienced by survivors (Davidson and Omar 2014, 104). It is important therefore to consider these factors when trying to determine what harmful outcomes survivors will be prone to experience and how best to counsel them.

The majority of literature highlight the negative consequences of CSA on children, however, some studies some children tend to display academic resilience regardless of been exposed to CSA. (Coohey, et al 2011) argues that the nature of the abuse and exposure to parental problems may adversely a child’s academic achievement but promotive factors within and outside the child can influence a how a child reacts to sexual abuse. they further suggest that a child’s personal qualities and interpersonal relationships may have a positive effect on academic performance and protect children from situations that lead to normative outcomes (Coohey, 2011).

Research indicates that 1 out of every 4 children will be the victim of sexual abuse before reaching age 18

As women appropriate memories of CSA through the lens of the adult mind, the naturally ensuing questions of worth, identity and forgiveness will potentially challenge a system of belief in God. In attempting to bring this kaleidoscope of memories and life experiences into focus and for the victim to become a survivor, mentors, a community structure and a strong sense of conviction will aid in the development of resiliency. Within the spiritual model beliefs, values, social support, a sense of efficacy and hope are important; however, beliefs alone are inadequate for healing. Practical application of attitudes and beliefs is critical in providing a sense of relief and hope (Yarhouse et al., 2005, p. 43).