Documents

Issues

Re-victimizations

Victims of any kind of trauma are likely to find themselves re-victimized. Sometimes the new
victimization happens in similar circumstances, sometimes in situations that seem to bear no
resemblance to the original incident.

Why does this happen? Because we all seek -- mostly subconsciously -- to repeat what we’ve already
experienced. So a person betrayed as a child will often feel drawn to a person who ends up betraying her.
The symptoms of shame, guilt and low self-esteem make it easy for a victim to accept the familiar and
hard to accept respect and love from a mentally-healthy person.

Memories

A survivor’s memories of abuse are often challenged or denied by other family members, health
professionals and the public at large. The recovery of repressed memories is a major controversy.

Repressed memories can and do surface years after the abuse. All memory is malleable. Our memories
are not like videos. They are not uncontaminated records of exactly what happened. Memories are
influenced by our thoughts, desires, cultures, by the movies we’ve seen and the conversations we’ve had.
To rise victorious over Childhood Sexual Abuse, it is not necessary, nor is it possible, to know exactly
what happened. That it did happen is horror enough.

Denial/Secrecy

Closely connected to the fallibility of memory is denial. We deny we’ve been abused. Family members
deny it. Society in general prefers to deny it. And for some people this is how they survive and go on with
their lives. For others, cracking the nut of denial is the major step forward in their healing.

Confrontation

Should the perpetrator be confronted? There is no simple yes or no to this question. Confrontation can
range from letter writing to in-person to court proceedings. It can be a plain “I know what you did” or an
expensive lawsuit. The more “outsiders” are involved, the more you need corroborative evidence to back
up your accusations.

Solutions

The Key

Identity is “The Key“: whether you identify as a victim, a survivor, a victor or ...?

Responsibility for self

To overcome the effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse requires a decision to take responsibility for
oneself. And then to take appropriate actions about taking care of yourself. Some of the specifics towards
that are: Groups..., therapy..., self-help..., support..., 12-steps..., religious outreach and experiences...,
thought-stopping..., affirmations..., Gratitude Diary..., Love..., individual psychotherapy..., hypnotherapy...,
emotional freedom techniques..., "Forgiveness."

Forgiveness or Letting go of resentment

Is touted as the ultimate step toward freedom from the effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse. Certainly to
become whole the victor needs to let go of the shame, anger, guilt and hatred.

Effects on Adults: Childhood Sexual Abuse

A history of childhood sexual abuse leads to a lower health-related quality of life and a greater
number of health problems, psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses. Research shows that survivors
of childhood sexual abuse have "more medical problems, higher medical use, more physical
symptoms, lower health status, and more medical procedures” High levels of anxiety and
depression in survivors of childhood sexual abuse can lead to self-destructive behaviors, such as
alcohol and drug abuse. Because of the association between sexual behavior and pain and violation,
survivors of childhood sexual abuse often develop problems with intimate relationships in general.

In general, childhood sexual abuse is associated with a greater risk of: Disturbances in sexual
interest; Difficulties during sexual contact; Dysfunctions of desire, arousal or orgasm; Seductive
behaviors, compulsive activity and prostitution; Precocious sexual behavior; Confusion of sexuality
and nurturing behavior; Sexually transmitted diseases; Unintended pregnancy; Eating disorders;
Excessive weight gain; Depression; Anxiety; Self-destructive behavior; Alcoholism; Drug abuse;
Panic attacks; Insomnia and sleep problems; Re-victimization; Suicide; Self-mutilation; Identity
disturbances; and Involvement in physically abusive relationships as adults.

Effects on Children: Sexual Abuse

The strongest indicators that a child has been sexually abused are inappropriate knowledge about
sex, inappropriate sexual interest, and sexual acting out. The effects of abuse result from the
abuse itself, from the family's response to the situation, and from the stigmatization that
accompanies abuse. The symptoms can include post-traumatic symptoms, precocious
sexualization, depression, anxiety, guilt, fear, sexual dysfunction, dissociate symptoms, eating
disorders, substance abuse, prostitution, regressive behaviors such as a return to thumb-sucking
or bed-wetting, runaway behavior, and academic and behavior problems.

Factors that influence the outcomes in cases of childhood sexual abuse include the age of the
victim, the frequency and extent of the abuse, the relationship of the victim to the abuser, the use
of force, the presence of severe injury, and the number of different perpetrators. Supportive
responses from the victims family and friends can go far to lessen the impact of the abuse while
negative responses (seen in cases of incest where one parent tries to protect the other parent) will
compound the damage done.

Studies find that sexually abused children have lowered intellectual and cognitive functioning
skills and that abuse increases the risk of lower academic achievement and problematic school
performance. The abused children in these studies received lower grades and test scores than
nonabused children.

Symptoms in Adult Survivors

Among the effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse are the following. Sometimes these symptoms do not
appear for decades.

Nightmares

These may be direct images, almost recollections, of the abuse or they may be symbolic. While
non-abused people also suffer occasional nightmares, survivors experience repetitious, terrifying
dreams in which they feel helpless and trapped.

Flashbacks

Sickening sensory images suddenly occur which vividly bring back the sights, sounds, physical and
emotional feelings of the abuse.

Distrust

With good cause, survivors are usually distrustful of the opposite sex, authority figures -- and
themselves.

Sexual hang-ups

Inhibitions and fears about sexual activity range from mild to severely disturbed.

Physical ailments

The emotional, psychological and physical stress of abuse often takes its toll in physical illness as the
body remembers being betrayed.

Depression

Feelings of worthlessness, apathy, self-loathing, can drown a survivor.

Guilt

A mixture of self-blame for the activity, feeling bad about hating the abuser, horror at partial enjoyment,
and possibly, absorption of some of the abuser’s guilt feelings.

Fear

Childhood abuse teaches the victim that the world is an untrustworthy place. Fear can infiltrate every
aspect of the survivor’s life.

Anger

Unfortunately often directed inward, anger can be a liberating emotion when the survivor directs it at the
appropriate targets.

Confusion

Uncertainty about what the abuse means (how can pain be love? Why is a caretaker betraying me?)
overwhelms the child -- and festers in the adult.

Self-mutilation

To avoid the pain and guilt of blaming the perpetrator (especially in cases of incest) the victim may
physically hurt herself or himself. Self-mutilation ranges from tattoos and nipple-rings to sexual
violence and enemas.

Relationship difficulties

Clearly a distrustful, confused, angry survivor is likely to have difficulties relating with other
people.

Self-doubt

Childhood sexual abuse is frequently accompanied with verbal abuse. Accusations of being stupid
make a deep impression on a helpless, victimized child. This feeling of powerlessness persists into
adulthood.

Voices

Frequently the various parts of the survivor, including the derogatory messages about being bad,
stupid, unwanted, unlovable, etc., are “heard” as thoughts or even sounds.

Hallucinations

Somewhat like Flashbacks but which the survivor “sees” in front of her, like blood on the bathroom
floor. Hallucinations may also be "negative", i.e., not seeing something, like car keys, which are
actually there.

Suicidal thoughts

Self-blame to the extreme. When the pain becomes too much to bear, suicide may seem to be the
ultimate solution.

Addictions

Slow suicide. Also an attempt to dampen down the pain. May range from the legal; alcohol,
cigarettes, gambling, prescription drugs, to the illegal; prostitution, street drugs.

Powerlessness

A feeling of having been stripped of dignity and effectiveness.

Helplessness

A feeling of being held down, of being directed by others.

Negativity

Generally noticing what’s wrong, rather than what’s right. Expecting the worst.

Section 5414 of the United States Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, required “a national
study of sexual abuse in schools.” One of the studies [a section identified below and can be viewed in it's entirety at the following link ], should raise the question "
Why are public school administers and school board associations joined with Bishops and opposing Statute of Limitations amendments?"
A sexually abused child has "Academic Achievement" damage which causes that "child to be left behind." Bob Schwiderski