Child sexual abuse is a problem of grave consequence for society. Approximately one out of every three girls and one out of every six boys are sexually abused by the age of 18 (U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 1993).

There are multiple traumatic effects for sexually victimized children. Problems may include:

  • Physical injuries
  • Fear
  • Depression
  • Self-destructive behaviors
  • Low self esteem
  • Feelings of confusion
  • Sexual acting out behaviors
  • Nightmares
  • Hostility
  • Phobias
  • Antisocial behavior
  • Socialization problems
  • Decreased school performance
  • Delinquency
  • Substance abuse
  • Promiscuity
  • Teen pregnancy
  • Sexually transmitted diseases
  • Prostitution
  • Homicide / Suicide
  • Incarceration

Decades of research consistently document that adults who were sexually violated as children are also negatively impacted as a consequence of the abuse. The range of abuse related difficulties in adulthood includes:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Self-mutilation
  • Low self esteem
  • Eating disorders
  • Interpersonal difficulties
  • Post traumatic stress disorder
  • Dissociative identity disorder

Additionally, survivors of child sexual abuse are vastly over-represented among the ranks of prostitutes and other sex workers, criminals, alcoholics, drug addicts, and suicide victims.

The exact incidence of child sexual abuse is unknown, due to the varying research methods used to collect data and the phenomenon of underreporting. We know that most victims do not report at the time of the crime, and factors such as memory repression, shame, and fear lead to underreporting among adults participating in surveys. Data from 2002 National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) indicates that approximately 4.6 million children were reported to child protective service agencies as purported victims of child maltreatment. Of that number over 88,000 children were documented as sexually abused. Clearly this is a problem of epic proportions, affecting not only those victimized, but also their immediate and extended communities. Ultimately we are all affected directly or indirectly by child sexual abuse.

Child Sexual Abuse Statistical Overview

Prevalence

    • 1 out of 4 girls and 1 out of 6 boys experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 18. (Center for Disease Control Ace study 2005)
    • 23% of Latino children report sexual abuse. (National Child Traumatic Stress Network 2007 Culture and Trauma Brief)
    • 76% of girls in Juvenile Hall report having witnessed someone being severely beaten or killed.
    • 60% reported rape or at risk of being raped. (NCTS Trauma Brief 2007)
  2. 50% of the women who reported being raped during 1992 were juveniles under the age of 18 years and 16% were under the age of 12 years old.
  3. As reported by imprisoned rapists, 94% of child victims under age 12 years were family members (70%) or an acquaintance/friend (24%). The remaining 6% were strangers. For child rape victims age 12 to 17 years, 36% were members of the rapist's family, 45% were an acquaintance/friend, and 19% were strangers.
  4. At the community level, epidemiology studies of adults have found that 15 to 33% of females and 13 to 16% of males were sexually abused in childhood.
  5. The rates for male sexual victimization in childhood ranges from 3% when a single question about sexual abuse or forced sexual contact is asked (e.g., were you sodomized) to 30% when a question that does not use a specific definition of sexual abuse is asked (e.g., were you sexually abused).
  6. Results of a national survey of prosecutors, child protective agencies, and law enforcement revealed that 23% of the respondents had encountered at least one case of ritualistic or religion-related child abuse, including child sexual abuse.

Long Term Effects

There are predictable effects to sexual abuse in the long-term. These are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Cognitive Distortions, Emotional Distress, Avoidance, Impaired Sense of Self, and Interpersonal Difficulties.

1. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Adult survivor have been found to display more symptoms of PTSD than do research subjects who were not sexually abused as children.

2. Cognitive Distortions. Studies document chronic self-perceptions of helplessness and hopelessness in adulthood. Further, impaired trust, self-blame, and low self-esteem are characteristic of the adult survivor of childhood sexual abuse.

3. Emotional Distress. Among adult survivors the symptoms of emotional distress include depression (a four times greater risk than for non-survivors; see Stein, et al., 1988), elevated anxiety (Chu & Dill, 1990), and anger (survivors score higher on measures of anger and irritability that do non-survivors; see Briere & Elliott, 1994).

4. Avoidance. Avoidance behaviors on the part of adult survivors cluster around coping strategies designed to help the survivor cope with the abuse-specific memories and feelings induced by the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. These behaviors include dissociation, substance abuse, suicidal thoughts and attempts (Briere & Elliott, 1994), impulsivity, self-mutilation, and eating disorders (Briere & Conte, 1993).

5. Impaired Sense of Self. The development of the sense of self in childhood appears to be negatively affected by sexual abuse (Cole & Putnam, 1992). Without a sense of self, adult survivors have more problems than do non-survivors relating to and understanding others and have more problems perceiving their own internal states independently of the reactions or demands of others (Elliott, 1994). These problems translate into a continuing inability to define one's boundaries or rights and are associated with increased suggestibility, inadequate self-protectiveness, and a greater likelihood of being victimized or exploited (Briere, 1992).

6. Interpersonal Difficulties. The interpersonal difficulties of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse fall broadly into the category of problems with intimacy. These difficulties center primarily on ambivalence and fear regarding interpersonalvulnerability (Briere & Elliott, 1994). Adult survivors report greater fear of both men and women and experience less interpersonal trust than do non-survivors (Briere & Runtz, 1990), have fewer friends (Gold, 1986), experience greater social discomfort and social isolation (Briere & Elliott, 1994), experience difficulty with sexual intimacy (Maltz & Holman, 1987). The effects of childhood sexual abuse on survivor's later sexuality are thought to contribute to the high incidence of sexual abuse histories found among adolescent and adult prostitutes (Bagley & Young, 1987), many of whom view their current occupation as an extension of their childhood experiences (Briere & Runtz, 1993).

For a handout with full bibliographical references on the information above, please contact us.

Return to top


Suggestions for Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Introduction:

If you were sexually abused you are not alone and you are not to blame. Following are some ideas and resources that other survivors have found helpful in their recovery. Recovery is an individual process. You can learn to trust that your choices will be right for you. Best wishes to you on your journey!

Some Things You Can Try:

Tell: Sharing our stories with people who listen supportively and understand what we have experienced is crucial to our recovery. Look for safe people who you can trust. You get to decide who to tell, what to tell, when to tell, and how to tell. Know though, that most survivors experience tremendous relief and are able to begin the healing process once they have told.

Build Your Support Network: Develop a network of supportive friends, family members, and/or professionals who can be available to you to offer support when you experience the fear, pain, and other feelings and experiences of the healing process. Find out who is available before you are in crisis, so when the crisis comes your support network will be in place.

Emergency List: Many survivors create an emergency list for themselves and keep it in an accessible place. The list includes ideas for getting your needs met and taking care of yourself in the event that you are re-traumatized. The list can include simple suggestions like breathing, using the telephone to call a friend, getting a stuffed animal and hugging it, checking in with your body, or going to a safe place.

Self Care: As you progress in your recovery, make it a priority to learn healthy self care. When we were abused we were taught to put our needs last and to take care of the needs of the perpetrator, any silent accomplices, and perhaps other siblings or family members. Now it is time to learn to take care of ourselves. Healthy self care varies from person to person. It can include such things as nourishing our bodies with healthy food that we enjoy, getting rest when we need it, allowing ourselves to get our touch needs met in ways that feel comfortable and safe, taking a warm bubble bath, doing yoga or tai chi, drinking plenty of water, or perhaps buying ourselves a gift or writing ourselves a loving card.

Be Gentle With Yourself: Recovery is a process and takes time. We donŐt get there overnight. We can set a goal of treating ourselves with the same compassion and understanding as we would extend to others who have been wounded and are in a healing process. We can gradually learn to love ourselves better and have patience with ourselves as we progressively replace old, unhealthy coping patterns with a new way of living.

Talk Yourself Innocent: It is natural for a child to assume that bad things are happening to her/him because of something he/she did. Many times perpetrators blame their victims for their own atrocious behavior. Other adults in whom a child confides may also assign blame to the child directly or indirectly. A child who has been sexually abused is always innocent. The perpetrator is 100% responsible for his/her bad choices. Even though we may have internalized the blame for the abuse, we can talk ourselves innocent. When we catch ourselves in self blame, we can notice the feelings and be present with them, and at the same time we can remind ourselves that we were not responsible for the abuse.

First Things First: Sometimes it is helpful to stop ourselves from spinning in emotional circles and simply ask ourselves: "What do I need to do to take care of myself right now?" It may be as simple as getting some food or going to the bathroom.

Return to top