Mental and Physcial Health Impact of Child Sexual Abuse

- Mental and Physcial Health Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on Victims
Sexual assault in childhood or adulthood impacts not only the victim, but also the victim’s family and friends as well as society as a whole. In this regard, sexual assault is a public health problem that concerns everyone.
Sexual assault has numerous potential consequences that can last a lifetime and span generations, with serious adverse effects on health, education, employment, crime, and the economic well-being of individuals, families, communities and societies
There does not appear to be a specific pattern of consequences from sexual abuse experienced in childhood. In fact, the sequelae, or after-effects, of childhood sexual abuse vary from one child to the next.
Victims of child sexual abuse can face immediate psychological consequences as well as chronic effects that can impact their adjustment throughout their development.
Immediate psychological consequences of child sexual abuse include: Shock, Fear, Anxiety, nervousness, Guilt, Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, Denial, Confusion, Withdrawal, isolation and Grief
Physical Health issues such as-
i)Sexually transmitted diseases,
ii) Pregnancy,
iii) Complaints of pain or itching in the genital area,
iv) Difficulty in walking or sitting,
v) Repeated unusual injuries,
vi) Pain during elimination, and
vii) Frequent yeast infections
Sexual abuse in childhood is known to be a major risk factor in the development of long-term psychological and social adjustment problems that can carry over into adulthood and affect married life and parenthood.
The most common effects of sexual abuse in children are symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, psychological distress and inappropriate sexual behaviour.
Roughly one third of sexually abused children do not display symptoms deemed problematic (i.e. symptoms that have reached the clinical threshold). There may be various reasons for this, including:
- These children experienced less severe sexual abuse.
- These children have protective factors that help them cope better with the trauma of the abuse.
- These children may exhibit no symptoms during assessment, but have latent sequelae that might manifest later.
- Depending on their age, victims of child sexual abuse are also at greater risk of experiencing symptoms of physical and mental health issues.
i) Abrupt changes in behaviour such as self harm, talks of suicide or attempt to suicide,
poor impulse control etc.
ii) Reluctance to go home.
iii) Sexualised behaviour or acting out sexually.
iv) Low self-esteem.
v) Wearing many layers of clothing regardless of the weather.
vi) Recurrent nightmares or disturbed sleep patterns and fear of the dark.
vii) Regression to more infantile behaviour like bed-wetting, thumb-sucking or excessive
crying.
viii)Poor peer relationships.
ix) Eating disturbances.
x) Negative coping skills, such as substance abuse and/or self-harm.
xi) An increase in irritability or temper tantrums.
xii) Fears of a particular person or object.
xiii)Aggression towards others.
xiv)Poor school performance.
xv) Knowing more about sexual behaviour than is expected of a child of that age
If childhood sexual abuse is not treated, long-term symptoms can go on through adulthood.
These may include:
i) PTSD and anxiety
ii) Depression and thoughts of suicide
iii) Sexual anxiety and disorders, including having too many or unsafe sexual partners
iv) Difficulty setting safe limits with others (e.g., saying no to people) and relationship
problems
v) Poor body image and low self-esteem
vi) Unhealthy behaviours, such as alcohol, drugs, self-harm, or eating problems. These
behaviours are often used to try to hide painful emotions related to the abuse
vii)Issues in maintaining relationships
The counsellor should be aware that the effects of child sexual abuse are long-term and can
change the world view and the course of life of the child. The first step in the healing process is
for the child to talk about the abuse, and it is the counsellor‟s duty to facilitate this; however, the
process of recovery may be long and the child will have other needs that the counsellor can
attend to. This includes
i) Rapport Building,
ii) working on the feelings of the child,
iii) Psychological Education on safe and unsafe touches, feelings, thoughts and behaviour,
safer coping techniques
iv) Helping the child to understand the abuse was not their fault;
v) Helping the child to develop of or regain their self-confidence;
vi) Provide sex education;
vii) Encourage appropriate social behaviour;
viii)Help the child to identify people who can form a supportive social environment around
him or her.
The counsellor is therefore a very important tool for the child in rebuilding his or her life after
he has been sexually abused.

[@katrinat.3032]

I have a friend SA’d by a priest. She never told me any details. I always wondered how this happened. This was a helpful video

[@deerskin4225]

Thank you so much for bringing up this huge topic Dr Suresh. And stressing out the need for a comprehensive approach

[@SureshBadaMath]

Welcome.
I believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect children

[@ruchismitapradhani34]

Sometimes whole community has a blind belief ,they don't know what's going on is just rape culture, nobody talks about it because it has been normalised in such a way nobody thinks it's a crime and how the child is going through after she knows what happened to her is just what she does not deserve it's too painful.

[@SureshBadaMath]

I comprehensively agree with you. We need to change this scenario and make accountable everyone.

[@June-ft1cb]

Thank you Doctor. Really appreciate this video. Great help in my research into CSA.

[@SureshBadaMath]

All the best

[@nalinipellurupsychologist4233]

Good message sir for awareness in public. 🙏

[@cocomuffin]

Thank you so much for this very easy to understand video. I appreciate it very much ❤

[@SureshBadaMath]

Welcome

[@psychiatrystudymaterial9606]

thank you so much sir.

[@SureshBadaMath]

Welcome

[@vinayanand1000]

Thank You so much Sir for Important Knowledge about Child Abuse....I am a student of PGD in Guidance and Counseling....🙏🙏🌹🌹

[@SureshBadaMath]

All the best wishes

[@SureshBadaMath]

All the best wishes

[@dr.siddharthojhaupadhyay7519]

Hello sir I had such a situation and childhood school life and college life all was spoiled and still have Bipolar disorder +PTDS

[@treasa4956]

Hello sir, I'm doing a project on childhood sexual trauma and this video has helped me in understanding it better. Could you please give the sources of these information so that I can use it for my project?

[@resilienthussain9279]

Excellent information and guidence shared, Thank you sir❤

[@SureshBadaMath]

Thank you very much for your feedback and sharing it

[@pjmendoza8871]

Great video for unfortunately crappy things that happen to children.

[@khadarahmedofficial7230]

Professor I want book to write child sexual abuse and mental health can you help me

[@handicappuccino8491]

I heard some victims associate love with sex And I will wait more with those people then the victims would actually feel like they were being victimize

[@radharanichakraborty5293]

Sir what about mentally ill children and those are non verbal Autism,I have already observed these incidents and post responses.

[@FrostSoul-qs6kq]

Doctor , If you are available for a discussion could we talk ? I have your need of your opinion on a very deadly case .

[@atiffakhar9411]

Hello sir how are you sir
Hopefully you will fine sir tomorrow I have a assignment on the basis of the cause and impact of child abuse cause I had done already but impact is yet remain so plz tell me impact thks you sir

[@suryapujitha9952]

Sir please explain about child sexual abused girl mindset and his behaviour

[@jasminevazquez6998]

That's basically ally what happend to me all the thing you said its whay I went through

[@taramarq1402]

How can I contact you?

[@MH20_21.]

Sir ptst is a disability?

[@kedariroja]

Doctor can you help in these

[@meshell1399]

All of this is ture.