What is Child Sexual Abuse?
Child sexual abuse is a form of abuse that involves sexual contact with a minor. It is a common and widespread problem that impacts people regardless of race, culture, gender, or socioeconomic status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys under the age of 18 experiences sexual abuse. Often, the perpetrator is a person that the victim and his or her family know. Child sexual abuse does not always involve direct sexual contact. This abuse has many forms, such as a perpetrator exposing himself or herself to a minor, obscene phone calls or digital images, fondling, masturbation in the presence of a minor, intercourse, or sex trafficking. Sexual abuse of a minor is a crime, and regardless of the circumstances, it is never the child’s fault.
If you suspect that a child is being sexually abused, intervening by reporting the suspicion to the authorities may help keep a child from additional harm. In the state of Georgia, make a report by calling 1-855-GACHILD.
Impact of Child Sexual Abuse on the Adult Survivor
The trauma caused by child sexual abuse often impacts victims well into their adult years. Child sexual abuse influences what adult survivors think and feel about themselves, their relationships with others, and their relationship with God. It also causes physiological changes to how a survivor’s body perceives and responds to stress, which may make a survivor more prone to illness later in life. If left untreated, adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse are at an increased risk for:
- Depression, anxiety, panic attacks
- Experiencing trouble managing emotions
- Sleep disturbances
- Relationship problems
- Feeling disconnected from one’s own body/disassociation/losing time
- Feelings of worthlessness and shame
- Self-blame and misplaced guilt
- Flashbacks
- Problems related to body image
- Chronic pain
- Substance abuse
- Disturbances in sexual desire
From Survivor to Thriver
Although the survivors of child sexual abuse are at an increased risk for mental and physical health problems, there is great hope! Survivors of child sexual abuse are courageous and strong. In their early years, they endured trauma and survived. However, while surviving is good, thriving is better. John 10:10 records Jesus saying, “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” (NLT)
If you are an adult survivor of child sexual abuse and feel like you are doing more “surviving” than “thriving,” please call a Restoration of Atlanta counselor. We are here to answer questions you may have and can gently guide you on a path toward greater healing.
HELPFUL RESOURCES
Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN): www.rainn.org
Help is available 24/7 at 1-800-656-4673.
RAINN is the United States’ largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN provides programs to “prevent sexual violence, help survivors, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Stop It Now: https://www.stopitnow.org/
Stop it now is dedicated to preventing harm to children and adults. They provide educational resources and programming. Preventing child abuse before it begins is the goal.
The Allender Center: https://theallendercenter.org/
The Allender Center offers workshops for professionals and individuals to better understand how their abuse stories have impacted their lives and relationships.
The Wounded Heart:
This text by Dan Allender provides psychological insights into the effects of childhood sexual abuse and provides theological foundations for healing.
Allender, Dan B., and Larry Crabb. The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse. NavPress, 2018.
Written by Andrea Brandt, NCC, APC
andrea@restorationcounselingatl.com, ext. 154
Andrea received a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Richmont Graduate University, a Christ-centered university, and currently serves clients in Georgia as an Associate Professional Counselor under supervision and direction. She has continuing education and experience working with addiction and family-related issues and applying cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, and Telemental health.