Sexual Abuse
Sexual Abuse Counseling & Therapy Services in Orlando, East Orlando, Lake Mary, Winter Park & Clermont Florida FL
Sexual Abuse Counseling Services
Serving Orlando, Winter Park, Clermont, Lake Mary, and East Orlando Florida for Sexual Abuse Therapy
What is Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse is any sexual activity – verbal, visual, or physical – engaged in without consent, which may be emotionally or physically harmful and which exploits a person in order to meet another person’s sexual or emotional needs. Consent is questioned due to someone’s ages (17 or younger), level of understanding, or dependency on the perpetrator (Kubentin and Mallory 1992). Finkelhor and Brown (1986) defined sexual abuse as any sexual activity involving a child under eighteen in which the other person is five or more years older than the child and in which any implicit or explicit coercion is used.
1 to of 4 females and 10% of males will experience childhood sexual abuse. The actual statistics are hard to determine because it is often not reported. Experts agree that the incidences are far greater than what is reported. Men often have an even more greater difficulty admitting that sexual abuse has happened to them due to the shame and societal pressures and views. The cost of not receiving help for childhood sexual abuse is endless. The most common defense mechanism for survivors is denial. It is too painful to share the memories and feel the damaging effects of sexual abuse. There is a pervasive pattern of dysfunctional behaviors that follow sexual abuse if not treated. The most common area where most survivors will see it is in their interpersonal relationships. Due to trust and safety being violated it is very difficult for survivors to be honest and authentic in their relationships. Most survivors will live double lives until they can no longer keep their emotional life under wraps.
It doesn’t matter if it was a one time event or several years of sexual abuse, the results are still damaging to a child and can alter a child’s and therefore an adult’s future dramatically if not treated. Of course if sexual abuse was done by a family member and for several years treatment can take longer due to intense violation in a family of dysfunction. There is hope and there is healing. One can regain peace, hope, and trust that was taken at the time of sexual abuse.
Although there are no specific set of symptoms victims of childhood sexual abuse exhibit, there are many short-term and long-term effects associated with it.
Short-term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse
School Functioning
Truancy
Dropping out of school
Emotional and Cognitive Effects
Depression
Phobias
Anxiety
Shame and Guilt
Self-injurious behavior
Suicide ideation
Social and Interpersonal Functioning
Aggression
Antisocial behavior
Running away from home
Physical and Sexual Functioning
Physical complaints, such as stomachaches and headaches
Promiscuity andProstitution
Sexual Identity Issues
Compulsive and Addictive Behaviors
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Self-Destructive Behavior
Long-Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Emotional and Cognitive Effects
Depression
Anxiety
Shame and Guilt
Low Self-Esteem
Distorted Self-Perception
Social and Interpersonal Functioning
Interpersonal Difficulties
Revictimization
Physical and Sexual Functioning
Sexual Difficulties
Physical Problems such as headaches
Compulsive and Addictive Behaviors
Substance Abuse
Eating Disorders
Self-Destructive Behaviors
Please see blogs for topics of signs of sexual abuse, child sexual abuse, sexual abuse statistics, sexual abuse victims, sexual abuse treatment and more.
References
Finkelhor, D. Early and long-term effects of child sexual abuse: An update.
Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 325-330.
Finkelhor, D., & Brown, A. (1986). Impact of child sexual abuse: A review of the research.
Psychological Bulletin, 99,66-77.
Wickham, R., & West, J. (2002).
Therapeutic Work with Sexually Abused Children. Sage Publications.
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