Psychology:
Psychology:
When we are children, the smallest things can have such immense impacts on one’s life. A child’s world generally revolves around complete possibility, positivity, and spontaneity. However this natural process can all be easily violated when a child is subject to sexual abuse. This violation comes with an abundance of psychological, social, and psychological effects. Mainly looking at the physical effects such immoral retribution subjugates children too, it can ultimately said that childhood sexual abuse can establish severe physical effects in which may completely violate the trust and core of a child’s relationship with the world.
Primarily, it is important to understand exactly what Child Sexual Abuse is. A resource for survivors of child rape and sexual abuse defines it as “any sexual act with a child performed by an adult or an older child” (Pandora's Project, 2001). This abuse can be subject to numerous amounts of acts such as; touching one unclothed or clothed, child prostitution encouragement, intentional engagement of sexual activity in front of a child, engaging in unwanted sexual activity, masturbation, penetration (oral) or penetrative sex, etc. (Pandora's Project, 2001). In the last two years, the subject of childhood sexual abuse has received much attention. The American Counseling Association stated that over the last two years approximately 12 to 18% of men and 28 to 33% of women were victims of adolescent or childhood sexual abuse (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). This is not inclusive to any and all sexual abuse cases that did not include touch or other types of physical sexual abuse, which ultimately tells us that this estimated number of individuals who have subject to sexually abuse within their childhood may actually be greater (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011).
Let us begin with the discussion of the particular long-term physical effects caused by child sexual abuse. The Oxford Department of Psychology revealed that childhood sexual abuse can be primarily associated with a large variety of psychological problems that may evidently lead into adulthood and quite possibly into long-term physical problems. Some of these effects include eating disorders, severe depression, and anxiety disorders (Irish, Kobayashi & Delahanty, 2009). It can be said that individuals with a history of childhood sexual abuse have come to more negative perceptions of overall physical health and higher somatization symptoms opposed to individuals without any CSA history. This has resulted in higher obesity rates in the United States for those with previous sexual abusive history (Irish, Kobayashi & Delahanty, 2009). Other factors that have been sometimes directly related to these obesity rates are indeed alcoholism and/or drug abuse (The National Center for Victims of Crime, 2012). More so, studies have concluded that approximately two-thirds of those suffering from bulimia or anorexia have indeed self-histories of child sexual abuse. Furthermore, this study has concluded that approximately “70% of child sexual abuse victims with bulimia had self-mutilated by overdosing, poisoning, cutting or burning themselves or by head banging” (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989).
Another main long-term effect that adults may suffer as a result of childhood sexual abuse is gastrointestinal problems. Understood to be ranked second only to depression as the “most frequent long-term result of child sexual abuse” (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989). Particularly that of female victims, those who have experienced forced sex may likely develop gastrointestinal problems during her later years in life. Furthermore, many females who were abused sexually children have diagnostically attributed physical effects such as irritable bowel syndrome and chronic abdominal pain, not subject to constipation, cramping, and alternation of diarrhea. Approximately one-third of these attributed women had been victims of incest or rape (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989).
On the contrary when looking specifically at male children of sexual abuse and their long-term physical effects, it is drastically less than that of females but most commonly inclusive of genital pain and/or cramping depending on the severity of the abuse (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989). It has been said that young boys of sexual abuse have reported more high-risk sexual behavior including but not limited to the use of prostitutes, a lower rate of condom use, a higher number of sexual partners, unprotected anal intercourse, higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases and higher rates of partner pregnancy (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989).
Another major physical effect that sexual abuse can have on a female is the fear and possible consequence of unwanted pregnancy. The pregnancy itself can have major long term physical effects on the female, aside from the abusive intent; especially when the victim is a child. This possibility of becoming pregnant has been recognized as the number one fear of all female rape victims, conducted by the National Victim Center (Judith, Perry & Van der Kolk, 1989).
It is important to understand that the often long-term association of major stress and anxiety of child sexual abuse victims is a door that can open to many other long or short-term effects. The abuse alone, as it happens, can be extremely frightening to both children and adults causing an abundance of stresses which can lead to physical harm or self-infliction. In many cases child survivors have grown experiencing a wide variety of implementations from the abuse such as tension, chronic anxiety, phobias and anxiety attacks (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). A past study compared Vietnam veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms and adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. “The study revealed that childhood sexual abuse is traumatizing and can result in symptoms comparable to symptoms from war-related trauma” (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). Some of these symptoms included experiencing amnesia concerning parts of their childhood, negating the effects and impact of sexual abuse, and feeling that they should forget about the abuse (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011).
Now let us look at some of the many immediate short-term physical effects in which sexual abuse can have on a child victim. A large majority of children both male and female exposed to sexual abuse generally exhibit common regressive behaviors including bed-wetting and thumb-sucking, eating problems, sleep disturbances, behavior and/or performance problems throughout education, and an unwillingness towards elements of participation in various social activities (The National Center for Victims of Crime, 2012). Furthermore, research and surveying tells us that child victims may likely experience traumatic forms of sexualisation during the shaping of their own sexuality as they grow older. These traumatic forms can include developmentally inappropriate forms as well as possible interpersonally dysfunctional forms. In addition the National center for Victims of Crime revealed that child sexual abuse victims have higher rates of revictimization (later sexual assaults) than non-victims. “Children who had an experience of rape or attempted rape in their adolescent years were 13.7 times more likely to experience rape or attempted rape in their first year of college” (The National Center for Victims of Crime, 2012).
Children, specifically female who are subjugated to such sexual abuse at a very young age will frequently suffer both short and long-term effects as youth into adulthood. Unfortunately many of these victims often mention experiencing occasional vaginal pain or orgasmic difficulties alongside that of erectile, orgasmic, and/or ejaculatory difficulties amongst men (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). A study in which was conducted on “the prevalence and predictors of sexual dysfunction in the United States” revealed that both child and adult victims of sexual abuse experience sexual problems more than the general population (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). More so the study revealed that childhood sexual abuse victims of male gender were more likely to experience erectile dysfunction and low sexual desire; while women were revealed to be more likely to have arousal disorders (Hall, M., & Hall, J., 2011). Let us not forget that any child subjugated to any sexual abuse, can be subject to an unusual discharge or a sexually transmitted infection (NSPCC, 2016).
A study that looked to common childhood physical and sexual abuse suggested that mainly female children whom have been victims of sexual abuse at a young age will have a higher risk of obtaining various medical diseases. Some of these diseases included an increased risk of having three or more medical diseases, cardiovascular difficulties, physical and social Isolation and public/personal disconnection (Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 2016). Furthermore the study also revealed that child sexual abuse victims are indeed more likely to commit crimes as juveniles and adults. “Research has found that childhood abuse contributes to the likelihood of depression, anxiety disorders, addictions, personality disorders, eating disorders, sexual disorders and suicidal behaviour” (Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 2016).
Research composed by a Meta-Analytic Review for the Physical Health Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse revealed that individuals with a history of common childhood sexual abuse were more likely to report instances of experiencing common chest pain, irregular heartbeat, shortness of breath, and ischemic heart disease (Irish, Kobayashi, & Delahanty, 2009). In several cases, the child victims themselves have reported to their parents and/or their doctors when asked, that they have experienced several of the above symptoms within a two year period immediately following the sexual abuse. This Meta-Analytic experiment further investigated the association between childhood sexual abuse and other types of pain and pain disorders. For instance, child sexual abuse victims have been revealed to be of greater risk for later musculoskeletal pain symptoms including headaches, muscle aches, back aches, joint pain, fibromyalgia, and general pain symptoms (Irish, Kobayashi, & Delahanty, 2009). While sexual abuse continues to occur every day on a global level, fortunately studies and investigations of the long-term physical health consequences of childhood sexual abuse continue to flourish. Such methods have consisted of male and female distinguishments and comparisons as well as individual comparison of those with and without a history of childhood sexual abuse. These outcomes have immensely aided the global medical-health field through means of updated and accurate public general health information, gastrointestinal health recommendations and information, alongside gynecologic or reproductive health, cardiopulmonary symptoms, pain, and obesity (Irish, Kobayashi, & Delahanty, 2009).
It is crucial that genuine research continues to occur on both the effects of child sexual abuse and of course towards the prevention of abusive injustice. No child or adult should ever have to witness or be subject to sexual abuse, let alone major issues of psychological, social and physical abuse on a global level today. The severity of these situations deserves to be analysed significantly implicated on the lives of its various survivors from all across the globe. It is imperative that counselors in the health, safety, and rehabilitation sector are commonly induced to this refurbished and current knowledge, so that they may be ultimately effective when aiding in the recovery of a child and/or adult sexual abuse victim. It is important to seek out counseling or therapeutic formations for the children suffered or suffering from the injustice of sexual abuse. The experience can be extremely traumatizing, especially when it comes to an innocent, lifeful child and may cause very severe life-long consequences throughout that individual’s life. The process of recovery is one of the most important aspects of healing, and all possible positive implications towards assisting children that have suffered from abuse should be considered.
References:
Adults Surviving Child Abuse, A. (2016, January 12). Impact of child abuse. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from http://www.asca.org.au/WHAT-WE-DO/Resources/General- Information/Impact-of-child-abuse
Irish, L., Kobayashi, I., & Delahanty, D. L. (2009); Oxford University Press). Long-term Physical Health Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Meta-Analytic Review. THE AUTHOR, 1-5. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
Hall, M., & Hall, J. (2011). The long-term effects of childhood sexual abuse: Counseling implications. Retrieved from http://counselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vistas11/Article _19.pdf
Judith, H., Perry, C., & Van der Kolk, B. (1989). EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL EFFECTS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT. American Journal of Psychiatry, 4(146), 47-55. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
NSPCC. (2016). Sexual Abuse: Signs, symptoms and effects. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/child-abuse-and-neglect/child-sexual- abuse/signs-symptoms-effects/
Pandora's Project. (2001). What is Sexual Abuse? Retrieved March 29, 2016, from http://www.pandys.org/whatissexualabuse.html
The National Center for Victims of Crime. (2012). Effects of Child Sexual Abuse on Victims. Retrieved March 28, 2016, from https://victimsofcrime.org/media/reporting-on-child- sexual-abuse/effects-of-csa-on-the-victim
