Impact of Child Sexual Abuse Trauma
Impact of Child Sexual Abuse Trauma
The subject of sexual abuse in children has elicited heated debates for decades now. Presently, virtually everyone claims to know what child sexual abuse is, what it entails, and why it is wrong. There exists an extensive literature on the traumatic effects that the vice has on both the victims and those connected to them. Ironically, knowledge of child sexual abuse seems to reinforce the vicious. Only a few decades ago, this subject was non-existent in scholarly debates yet the rate at which the cases occurred, and subsequently reported, were significantly lower. Today, the number of women and men who suffered sexual abuse as children are over 33% and 18%, respectively (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012). The number could be even higher since most cases of sexual abuse in children go unreported. The government has placed stringent measures and laws that have been enacted in almost every nation aimed at punishing the perpetrators of child sexual abuse (Raymond, 2012).
Childhood sexual abuse assumes many forms. It ranges from a seemingly harmless seduction by a close relative to a brutal rape by a total stranger. The many forms of childhood sexual abuse make it hard to define it in precise terms. However, there is a consensus among scholars and researchers that sexual abuse occurs when one person dominates and exploits the other through a sexual suggestion or activity. Due to the power relations involved in the vice, most victims of sexual abuse are children and women; the relatively weak and vulnerable in the society. In fact, one out of four children is a victim of sexual abuse.The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines sexual abuse as an act perpetrated by a person five years or more than the child (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012). Usually, it is committed by a person the child trusts; either the parents, care workers, friends or relatives. According to Hall and Hall (2011), incest is the most common form of childhood sexual abuse.
Whether sexual abuse is implicit or explicit, whether it is perpetrated by a family member or a total stranger, the consequences are equally dire and devastating. Childhood sexual abuse is, in its most basic form, a gross violation of a child’s fundamental rights. According to the child’s development theory, children should not be exposed to a sexual experience until they attain the appropriate development stage, a stage when they fully comprehend what it entails: Until they can fully control the situation and exercise their right of choice (Hall & Hall, 2011). Sexual abuse is usually traumatic, in nature and dynamics in adults. It is even worse when the victims are but children. The trauma suffered has detrimental effects on both the psychological and social development of both the child and the people he/she is close to.
Psychologically, childhood sexual abuse has been directly correlated with advanced depression, shame, guilt, self-blame, somatic concerns, denial, anxiety, and repression. Socially, the victims of childhood sexual abuse have exhibited relationship problems, dissociative patterns, and sexual problems. Most survivors of childhood sexual abuse have been found to suffer from depression both in the short-term and long-term. Since the victims are usually children, they are unable to externalize the abuse (Hall & Hall, 2011). It is impossible for a child to see the perpetrator as the beast he/she is. For the child, the fault is entirely his. They think, and believe that it is their fault that they were abused; that the abuse was a form of punishment for a wrong they did. When they start thinking negatively of themselves, they start to feel worthless which then precipitates depressive thoughts. (Long, Thomas, & Burnett, 2010) explained that an abused child as one with perpetual feelings of depression, prone to suicidal ideation, irregular sleeping patterns and irregular eating patterns. Survivors of childhood sexual abuse will often exhibit feelings of self-blame, guilt and shame, taking responsibility for the crime that was committed against them. This is especially so when the crime is committed by a trusted friend or a close member of the family. The result is that the survivors tend to display, and get involved in destructive behaviours which include suicidal tendencies (Hall & Hall, 2011).
When a child is violated, one of the symptoms is that they may feel dirty and ugly, dissatisfied with their bodies and appearances. Consequently, the child, or later as an adult, will seek to improve their image, even going to the extremes of eating disorders. Some of the survivors let themselves go and expose themselves to lifestyle diseases like obesity. In their minds, they are already ugly and fat, and that is the reason they were abused. Additionally, most of the perpetrators will use derogative terms on the child to subdue them further and show them they are incapable of being loved. By so doing, they convince the child not to report because, in any case, no one cares for them. According to Long, survivor’s distress is so grave that sometimes it causes somatic concerns as exhibited in symptoms like pelvic pain, headaches and gastrointestinal problems (Long, Thomas, & Burnett, 2010).
In the long term, childhood sexual trauma has been associated with stress and protracted anxiety. The experience of sexual abuse is frightening either to a child or an adult. The stress associated with it usually persists long after the deed is done. Often, survivors will report chronic anxiety, anxiety attacks, tension, and phobias. A study conducted by Briere and Runtz as cited in Hall and Hall indicated that the post-traumatic stress experienced by a victim of childhood sexual abuse is only comparable to the post-traumatic stress experienced by a war veteran (Hall & Hall, 2011).
Socially, survivors of childhood sexual abuse have a tendency to avoid others. To dissociate themselves from peers and recoil in their cocoons. This is, usually a reflection of their psychological state (Hall & Hall, 2011). Since child victims are unable to externalize the abuse, they blame themselves, harbouring negative thoughts about their body image and undermining their worth. Consequently, they feel that they have nothing to offer, to their family or their friends. This feeling of worthlessness is also highlighted in their suicidal tendencies. The victims feel that they would rather be dead as they are worthless to the world; they feel that they have nothing more to offer or contribute to the world.
Other survivors will recoil and dissociate themselves from others as a way of protecting themselves from further abuse. For them, the only way to stay safe is to stay away from people. This was usually the case when the perpetrator was a close friend or family member. This coping mechanism persists even in adulthood. When they feel threatened, their first instinct is to recoil into their protective cocoons. Such survivors have difficulties forging meaningful relationships even in adulthood (Raymond, 2012). They will usually appear confused, disoriented, and suffer haunting flashbacks. Most of the victims have difficulties experiencing feelings, the very basis of relationships.
Childhood sexual abuse victims may be so traumatised that even in adulthood, they are repulsed by even the slightest hint of sexual activity. Consequently, they repress sexual desires which could prove detrimental to their relationships and even marriage. The trauma of childhood sexual abuse is so intense that it has been blamed for hindering the development of meaningful relationships. The development theory posits that at a certain stage, a child ought to venture out of the familiar surroundings and form relationships with the teacher, the church members and his peers (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2012). However, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse will find this difficult because he finds it hard to trust others, fears intimacy fears being judged as the ugly child who deserved whatever came his way and he has difficulties establishing boundaries. For those that do get into relationships, they usually have an affinity for abusive relationships. As a way of explanation, Hall and Hall indicate that since sexual abuse is usually perpetrated by someone a child loves and trusts, they feel that those who hurt them are the ones who love and care for them. The sexual performance of a survivor is also highly affected. Due to their dissociative tendencies resulting from childhood sexual abuse trauma, the survivors opt to avoid any sexual contact. For most, it reminds them of the traumatic experience and, therefore, avoid it, fear it or show total disinterest. On the extreme side, some survivors are disgusted by the mere thought of sex while others engage in inappropriate sexual behaviour (Hall & Hall, 2011).
The negative effects of childhood sexual abuse affect not only the victims but also their caregivers and those they form close contacts. The system theory is founded on the assumption that everything does not occur in isolation from all parts of a given system are connected to each other. In a social setting, the family unit forms the system of analysis. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the impact on the entire family. Sexual abuse by either a family member or a stranger destroys the ability of the victim to trust and interact with the primary caregivers and other family members. They would feel their caregiver failed to protect them. Consequently, the tension may breakup the family unit. It goes without saying that the parents of the abused child will be grieved, but will, usually, feel the need to remain strong for the child. Some of the parents report cases of depression, which could, ultimately, lead to family problems. The very act of sexual abuse in childhood disrupts the family’s equilibrium, and when this balance is disturbed, the family members tend to react negatively. Some of the family members will also blame themselves and resort to either dissociating themselves or being overly protective of the victim and other likely victims (Raymond, 2012).
Childhood sexual abuse leaves, in its wake, a traumatic effect not only to the survivor but also those close to them. For this reason, post-traumatic therapy should not just focus on the survivors, but also those in contact with them. Survivors of such a traumatic experience require, above all else, love and acceptance of their loved ones.
References
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2012). Facts for Families: Child Sexual Abuse.
Hall, M., & Hall, J. (2011). The Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Counselling Implications. Vistas online. Retrieved March 31, 2016, from http://counselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vistas11/Article_19.pdf
Karakurt , G., & Silver, K. (2014). Therapy for Childhood Sexual Abuse Survivors using Attachment and Family Systems Theory Orientations. Am J Fam The, 79-91.
Long, L., Thomas, R., & Burnett, J. (2010). Sexuality Counselling: An Integrative Approach. NJ: Pearson: Upper Saddle River.
Raymond, N. (2012). Breaking the Cycle of Child Sexual Abuse. State University of New York College at Oswego.
