01/12/2023
Child S*x Abuse, Child Abuse, S*x Abuse - fragile topics but must be talked about and raise awareness.
Important Awareness , those who have suffered, those may have gone through this, those who need awareness.
those who assume this will never happen.
Here a few things for people that don’t know about this child s*xual abuse: The Damage that one causes is lifetime. LIFE-TIME
The Inquiry has heard that child s*xual abuse can have wide-ranging and serious consequences. For some victims and survivors these effects endure throughout adult life. Child s*xual abuse can affect psychological and physical well-being, family and intimate relationships, faith, and education and career. Victims and survivors can also be two to four times more likely to become victims of s*xual, physical or emotional abuse again in their lifetime.
One of the most profound effects of child s*xual abuse is the damaging impact it can have on the ability to form and maintain close, loving relationships ‒ both intimate and platonic. It can affect the relationships that victims and survivors have at the time of the s*xual abuse and for the rest of their lives. They may find it difficult to talk to partners, family and friends about the s*xual abuse, preventing others from being able to help and offer support. 42% of victims and survivors who participated in the Truth Project have said that child s*xual abuse has adversely affected the relationships they have with others.
Relationships with parents and siblings
The Inquiry has heard that some victims and survivors feel that the child s*xual abuse they suffered has damaged their relationships with their parents or siblings. This may be because the perpetrator was a family member or a close friend of the family, or they may have disclosed the abuse they suffered to a family member or sibling and felt that they were not believed.
The Inquiry has heard that this can make victims and survivors feel responsible for changes to family dynamics and the well-being of family members. It can also disrupt friendship groups and lead to bullying or being talked about by peers, causing loneliness and isolation.
Relationships with children and grandchildren
Perhaps one of the saddest consequences of child s*xual abuse is the damaging effect it can have on parenthood. Some victims and survivors fear that the s*xual abuse they suffered as a child will mean that they will not be safe parents ‒ or that others will consider them to be a danger to their own children. Some victims and survivors have talked about not being able to change nappies or even hug their own children.
Effect on emotional well-being and mental health
Victims and survivors of child s*xual abuse cope and respond to abuse in different ways, and their response can change over time, For some, the psychological harm can be at least as severe ‒ and at times more enduring ‒ than the physical injuries sustained during the s*xual abuse.
Around the time of s*xual abuse, children can experience a range of emotions, including fear, sadness, anger, guilt, self-blame and confusion.Victims and survivors can feel humiliated or self-conscious, and will often not feel equipped or able to talk about what has happened.
The Inquiry has been told that child s*xual abuse can have a profound psychological effect that lasts into and throughout adult life. Existing research has linked child s*xual abuse with low self-esteem and mental health conditions. The accounts provided to the Truth Project have supported this: victims and survivors have reported a range of mental health issues that are a result of the s*xual abuse they suffered.
The most common issues reported were depression (33%), lack of trust in authority (32%), thoughts of su***de (28%), anxiety (28%), self-harming (22%) and attempted su***de (22%). Participants in the online consultation said that they were most likely to experience anxiety and fear, depression, self-harm and thoughts of su***de. Panic attacks, low self-confidence, obsessions, eating disorders, and alcohol and drug use were also reported by Forum members.
Flashbacks are so real in your head, I could literally feel him on top of me and smell his breath, and wake up and be trying to push him off. And that was years after.
Victim and survivor, the Truth Project
Many victims and survivors seek therapy or counselling, but have reported severe difficulties in accessing services and treatment. Where support and treatment have been accessed, accounts from victims and survivors are mixed. It is clear that the right support or treatment at the right time is hugely beneficial to victims and survivors, but some have reported receiving unhelpful or inappropriate responses from professionals
Studies have found that 51% to 79% of s*xually abused children exhibit psychological symptoms. The risk of harm is greater if the abuser is a relative.
The healing process requires building confidence back, giving support, requires Consistency, Patience, encouragement
When a vulnerable child experiences physical, emotional, and/or s*xual abuse the hurt and the scars go deep
by acknowledging their suffering, giving them concrete ways to express their painful experience encouraging the healing process through small steps bring comfort and hope to those who have been abused
You have been victimized by a terrible wrong. During your childhood, the time you were most vulnerable, instead of being protected, helped, and comforted you were abused. Most likely you were abused by someone who should have been trustworthy—a family member, a teacher, a neighbor, a coach, a pastor, a friend. Instead of being protected you were violated. You were treated with malice. Someone used, misused, and took advantage of you. Now you are wondering if recovery is possible.
The simple answer to that question is yes, recovery is possible. But you already know you can’t just snap your fingers and make everything all better. And you know that pat answers won’t help you. But here are two important truths to keep in mind: You are not alone, and there is hope.
Your recovery will be a process of learning and remembering those two truths, not just once, but over and over. Think about how bread gets made. It must be kneaded so that the yeast goes through the whole loaf. These two truths must be kneaded into who you are until they work through every part of you. The working of these truths into the deepest part of you takes time. The damage you suffered may have been done in one or more terrible moments; the healing and the restoration unfolds at a human pace. It unfolds at your pace. It unfolds as part of your story, and it unfolds over time.
If you were s*xually abused, someone used you and violated an intimate part of who you are.
However you were abused, what happened to you was evil—you were sinned against. And now you are suffering. God is mindful of your suffering, and he hears your cries.
you desire to move forward too. But you feel stuck. Here are some ways that those who have been abused as children sometimes struggle as adults:
· Trusting others: It can feel impossible to trust anyone after your trust has been shattered by your childhood experiences.
· Having a healthy s*xual relationship with your spouse: If you were s*xually abused, s*x for you has been maimed and twisted by darkness.
· Being filled with bitterness: How do you avoid being filled with bitterness when terrible evils have occurred? How can you learn to forgive such a great wrong?
· Disciplining your own children: How do you learn to discipline your children in love when you were attacked by your own relative
· Dealing with any conflict or confrontation: How do you confront a problem with family, friends, or co-workers when anger and confrontation was brutally distorted in your life?
· Facing your abuse might be the last thing you want to do. Many who have suffered through child abuse are terrified of their memories. They have only two ways to deal with their past—either they cover it over with denial and busyness or they get stuck in memories that are a black hole of terror and fear.
It's important for parents and other adults to provide children who have been s*xually abused with the support and resources they need to heal and recover. The s*xual abuse of a child can be devastating for both the child and the family, but help is available for both. Children are resilient and not all children who are s*xually abused will need therapy. However, a professional experienced in working with children and family members impacted by s*xual abuse can often help everyone talk about the experience and find positive ways to move forward.
Often there are questions about a child's concerning behaviors without knowing for certain what is causing those behaviors. Professional counselors can help parents and children assess what is needed and help plan for safety and health.
