Sexual Abuse

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Sexual abuse is characterised by any sexual acts involving two or more individuals where one person is forced to do something they don't want to do. This type of abuse can happen to females, males and children and can include a number of terrifying experiences. Sexual abuse is anything from unwanted touching to sexual intercourse; if one of the persons is forced to do something against their will, it is abuse.

The individual(s) who commit sexual assaults tend to be different for males and females; the majority of women who have been abused tend to know the aggressor, they could even be a close friend or past relationship. However, generally males are much more likely to be assaulted by strangers or figures of authority, such as someone at school.

It is extremely difficult to gather statistics on the number of sexual abuse cases each year, mainly due to the nature of the subject; it is an extremely personal issue therefore many do not want to report the assault. Sufferers of the abuse, especially women blame themselves for the act and are scared of how others around them will react, therefore keep quiet and bottle up their emotions. However, if the experience is not confronted, the sufferer will find it more difficult to overcome.

Signs of Sexual Abuse:

Changes in individual's behaviour is a common sign

Fear or refusal to go to a particular place or see a certain person

Children may run away from home

The development of an eating disorder

Dramatic drop in achievement at either school or at work

Sudden use of drugs or alcohol

Consistent nightmares

Becoming involved in stealing or lying about things

Dread or refusal of a medical examination

Migraines and headaches are often frequent in abused children

Pregnancy

Attempting suicide

Causes:

There is not one definite answer to what causes an individual to want to abuse another person or a child, it is clear that it is unacceptable behaviour and there are likely to be deep psychological problems involved. Research and statistics have shown that a large majority of aggressors have been the victims of abuse themselves, especially during childhood.

Effects:

Psychological Effects

• Feeling scared and panicky even having panic attacks
• Insomnia, nightmares, irritability and anger
• Addictions to drugs or alcohol
• Low confidence, low self-esteem, development of depression or an eating disorder

Sexual Effects:

• There is sometimes a decrease in sexual activity
• Sufferers occasionally stop having sexual intercourse altogether
• An individual can encounter problems getting aroused or pain during sexual intercourse
• Any sexual activity can bring back terrifying memories to the sufferer

Physical Effects:

• Chronic stomach pains, more intense menstrual cramps, pain during intercourse
• Headaches, migraines and all round aches and body pains

Emotional Effects:

• Denying the horrifying event to themselves and others, avoiding talking about particular situations
• Unintentional repetitions of the assault through memories or nightmares forces victims to experience their horror again.

Medical Help and Treatment:

There are a variety of help sources available for sufferers of sexual abuse, however the individual must take the first step by wanting to get help and be willing to discuss their experience. Individual counselling and therapy have proven to be effective treatments for abuse victims; family or group therapy is also common. Both sources can help reduce the trauma caused.

Further Help

• Childline
  
• NSPCC
  
• A House Full Of Whispers (A book by Sharon Wallace, a survivor of physical, mental and sexual abuse.

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