The Lasting Impact of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Childhood sexual abuse is a widespread problem. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that at least one in four girls and one in six boys are sexually abused before they turn 18 years old. But it's important to understand that being abused as a child doesn't just affect your life at the time—it can last into adulthood and have effects on your mental health for years to come.
Childhood sexual abuse can be hard to talk about.
It can be hard to talk about childhood sexual abuse. It’s a sensitive topic, and many people find it shameful or embarrassing to discuss. You may feel like you don't want others to know what happened to you, or that it's your fault for not being able to stop it from happening in the first place.
Difficulty remembering details: The brain protects us from traumatic events by blocking out some of our memories after we experience them—so sometimes what we think is a clear memory isn't actually all there anymore. This can make talking about childhood sexual abuse difficult because you may not be able to remember specific details about what happened or how exactly it affected you as a child or teenager.
Knowing who and where to talk about it: If no one knew what happened when they were young (because they blocked out their memories), where should they go? Who can they trust with such personal information? Fear of being judged prevents people from sharing their experiences with others outside their support system of friends, family members, counselors and therapists who specialize in treating trauma survivors
Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is shockingly common.
Childhood sexual abuse is shockingly common. The statistics on childhood sexual abuse are stunning, both in their scope and in the fact that they’re so rarely talked about. According to ChildHelp, one in four girls, and one in six boys will be sexually abused before age 18 (1). In other words: if you know 100 people who were born between 1980 and 2000, there’s a good chance at least two of them have been sexually abused as children; that’s 25 children out of 100! This is also why CSA is often referred to as an “underreported crime”—since so many victims don't report what happened until much later (if ever), there's no official way for researchers or law enforcement officials to accurately track how frequently it occurs.
CSA is a crime of power and control. When someone abuses another person through sexual acts, it's because they have some kind of power over them: either physical strength or social authority (like being older than the victim), or both combined together (for example when an adult abuses someone younger than them). A perpetrator chooses their victim carefully; sometimes based on vulnerability but often just because it's convenient for him/her at that moment (for instance if there isn't anyone else around).
Childhood sexual abuse can have long-term consequences.
Childhood sexual abuse can have long-term consequences. The effects of childhood sexual abuse may not be apparent for years, even decades. It's important to talk about the impact it has had on you and how you are coping with that impact now. This can help you manage your feelings and find ways of coping as an adult in your own way. For many people, talking about their experience is the first step toward healing from their past trauma and developing healthy relationships in adulthood.
CSA can affect daily life.
CSA has a lasting impact on many aspects of your life. It can affect the way you relate to others and feel about yourself, as well as how you feel physically and mentally. It can also affect your sexuality in ways that are both obvious and surprising.
Relationships: CSA survivors often experience difficulties in their relationships with others, including close friends or romantic partners. They may struggle with trust issues and difficulty opening up emotionally to people they care about. Friendships might be difficult for CSA survivors because of a sense that their boundaries were violated during the abuse, which makes them uncomfortable sharing personal information with others or feeling like they have control over how much affection is shared between two people (for example, holding hands).
Sexual intimacy: Sexual relationships can be difficult for CSA survivors and sometimes are avoided altogether. Some research suggests that CSA survivors are more likely to experience difficulties with sexual functioning and partner violence.
CSA causes emotional distress.
Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). CSA can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness or worthlessness. It can also disrupt your sense of safety in the world and make you feel vulnerable to further harm. In addition to these effects on your mood, understanding that you’re not responsible for the abuse can help you reduce feelings of guilt and shame over what happened.
Low self-esteem: If you experienced physical or sexual assault as a child, it’s natural to feel guilty about not being able to protect yourself during the abuse—or even afterward. This is especially true if you were unaware that what was happening was wrong at the time it occurred—which is common among children who experience CSA within familial relationships. Regardless of whether this happened or not though, low self-esteem is often an impactful side effect of childhood sexual abuse because abusers often use negative statements about their victims’ bodies as a way to control them sexually..
CSA can cause lower self-esteem and self-hatred.
Childhood sexual abuse can significantly affect your self-esteem and the way you view yourself. Even if it happened years ago, CSA survivors may suffer from low self-esteem and struggle to maintain a positive sense of self.
This is because during the abuse, you were forced to do things against your will or someone else was making decisions for you, which can give rise to feelings of helplessness and powerlessness. This can make it difficult for survivors to see themselves as having any control over their lives or how their lives unfold
As a result, some people start associating negative emotions with themselves. They develop feelings of shame or guilt about the fact that they were abused; these feelings might lead them to believe that they deserved what happened to them or that they somehow caused it. These negative beliefs about oneself are called internalized stigma: when an individual internalizes stereotypes about groups like sexual minorities (e.g., gay men) or victims (e.g., rape victims).
CSA contributes to anxiety, depression and other mental health problems.
Depression, anxiety and other mental health problems are common among survivors of CSA. In fact, it's estimated that between 50% and 90% of survivors have had at least one mental health problem at some point in their life. Children who are sexually abused are also more likely to experience suicidal thoughts or actions than those who aren't abused (2).
There's an association between childhood sexual abuse and substance use disorders. Many people struggle with alcohol or drugs to cope with the trauma they've experienced as a result of childhood sexual abuse.
Recovery takes time and work.
It takes time to heal, process, build and find a new normal. You may have learned some coping skills early in life that helped you survive the abuse but need to learn new ones to be able to live your life fully again.
Some people find it helpful to spend time with other survivors of childhood sexual abuse and get support from them. This can be done through self-help groups or by going to see a counselor who specializes in helping survivors of childhood sexual abuse. Counseling helps you explore how your past affects your thoughts, feelings and behavior today; it also helps you work through difficult issues that might be blocking a sense of peace for you now.
Recovery is possible.
It’s important to remember that the abuse is not your fault. You didn’t ask for it, you didn’t deserve it and you don’t need to feel guilty about anything that happened. You deserve to heal.
Recovery can take time, but there are many things you can do along the way to help heal from CSA. One thing many survivors find helpful is journaling or writing down thoughts or feelings they want to express but might be too scared or embarrassed to share with anybody else yet. It can also be helpful for survivors to speak with someone who has been through similar experiences—maybe a friend, family member or therapist—in order get more support and start working towards making positive changes in their life
It is possible to heal from childhood sexual abuse, but it takes a lot of time and effort.
Your healing process is unique and will take time, but it is possible. The first step is to talk to someone. Whether you want to tell a friend or family member, seek out therapy or speak with a professional counselor, sharing your story can be a powerful first step in the healing process.
It's important not to make any changes immediately after talking about childhood sexual abuse; you may feel overwhelmed by your emotions and need some time before making any big decisions or moves in your life. It may also help for you to write down everything that comes up during this emotional time so that later on you can reflect on what was helpful for healing so far as well as what still needs work.
There are many different ways people heal from childhood sexual abuse: some find comfort in exercise; others turn towards spirituality and meditation practices such as yoga or mindfulness meditation (which involves focusing on one thing at a time). No matter which path feels right for you personally, remember that it's okay if things don't happen quickly—it takes time!