Can sexually abused victims recover?

FROM VICTIM TO VICTORY!!!

Can I ever be healed from sexual abuse? Will I ever be the same? Some victims asked this question as they try to put the pieces of their lives back together again. But some researchers feel that sexually abused people may really never recover fully from this tragedy because of the psychological damage it can cause. The physical damage over time may heal but the stigma of abuse still sometimes lingers over a period of time. However, there are ways to help heal these wounds and encourage healthier living.


In order to begin healing, victims must first identify that they have been sexually assaulted. Most people, especially when it happens to a minor, do not recognize that the incident that they were involved in was sexual abuse. In these cases, this step helps the victim recognize the issue and help them understand that it was not their fault and the healing process begins. There are victims who feel like mourning what they lost, such as innocence, virginity or childhood is an important step to take. Victims may feel like anger is their main emotion and want to be free from that feeling. They feel the need to be released from anger and self pity and become powerful filled with enthusiasm of life and hope. For some, it is imperative to first heal your inner child then take the step to mainly forgive yourself. True healing process can and will take time but not it’s not impossible.


Victims sometimes blame themselves for the incident and take the responsibility of the predator. The must understand that sexual abuse can happen to anyone to no fault of their own. They need to talk about the issue with family or friends and even a therapist to ensure a healthier mind that would keep them from struggling with guilt and shame. Victory over victimization is the key essential that will eliminate the burden of being a victim. It may hurt to talk and relive the trauma. However, for many recovered victims they say talking to someone or a group who understand the issue and can give direction in becoming stronger and powerful every day.


Everyday there are people who may be closer to us than we know are struggling with conflicting issues in their life because of abuse. Researchers study that in most household’s victims and predators are evident. We need get involved in our children’s lives and discuss topics that may seem uncomfortable but necessary to secure of families from pain. Prevention could keep the increasing numbers of victims from growing and help protect our loved ones from victimization.


Work Cited

Darkness into light. (2001-2008). Retrieved February 18, 2010, from http://www.darkness2light.org/KnowAbout/statistics_2.asp.

Survivors of sexual abuse. (2002-2010). Retrieved on February 17 2010, from http://www.allaboutlifechallenges.org/survivors-of-sexual-abuse-faq.htm



Glossary of Images


hodgechiro.com/images/Happy%20person.jpg


http://www.fotosearch.com/BDX118/bxp27143/

YOU COULD BE LOOKING AT SEXUAL ASSAULTED VICTIM

REMEMBER SEXUAL ASSAULT CAN DEVELOP IN ANY FAMILY REGARDLESS OF NATIONALITY, CLASS, RACE, ETC.
http://www.photographersdirect.com/stockimages/p/people_eyes.asp












Unfortunately, Faith is not the only one faced by this tragedy of sexual abuse. I wonder why this happened to so many girls and boys just like Faith. The average numbers of sexually assaulted children today is 80,000 per year reported cases. Reality is there is an unnumbered amount of unreported cases because unfortunately many children do not tell it to anyone. Reports also show that 1/3 of today's children would be sexually abuse before the age of 18. This includes 40% of all female and 30% of all male. The shame and guilt that they feel is embarrassing and confusing for a child. Many children grow throughout their lives carrying around this burden without seeking help or therapy. What happens to them mentally? Do they act out of these psychological issues? I did a little research and found most of the children who were sexually assaulted once or over a period of time, suffer from self infliction, intimacy issues, depression, withdrawal and sometimes suicide. These children who grow into adults still feel the pain of be attack as a child or as an adult. Many of them who have not sought help in anyway might grow into an abuser or follow into the life as prostitutes or drug abuse.


The number of sexual assault cases in the United States alone seems relatively normal in children. How can this not be considered a national issue? A report released by the National Institute of Justice in 1997 revealed that of the 22.3 million children between the ages of 12 and 17 years in the United States, 1.8 million were victims of a serious sexual assault or abused. The criteria for becoming a rape victim, is not bias on age, size, gender of race. It could happen to anyone and with these numbers it could be everyone. Reports describe sexual assault as any sexual activity involving a child where consent is not or cannot be given. Sexual contact between an adult and a minor child, as well as an older teen and a younger child are both examples of sexual abuse. I also read that depending upon the age at which a state deems a child capable of giving consent, sexual abuse can also occur between two minors. There are so many forms of sexual abuse and individuals need to be aware of it.


The law works on preventing and protecting children even in the cyber world. They work on protecting children from being victims in pornographic images that circle the internet to lure weak minds into this loophole. Today, predators seek to involve others in engaging in their crime. There are groups of sexual predators that unite in the internet creating various websites to build their sites for their pleasure. They teach each other ways to disguise themselves, making children vulnerable to them. Several pedophiles access in “teen chat rooms” engaging teen into this acts without it being look as a crime. Unfortunately, the law is not always successful in this preventative solution. Several pedophiles’ get away and feel that they could never be caught because it is almost impossible to trace them. However, today the Criminal Justice System is increasing their unit in the Child abuse and Sex Crime area to learn more tactical ways of capturing predators online and everywhere else. There are strong hopes to continue to be successful in eliminating these predators as they have increased traces of useful evidence to use to prosecute them.



Works Cited:

Bogorad, B. E., et. al. (n.d.). Sexual abuse: Surviving the pain. The American Academy of Experts of Traumatic Stress.Retrieved February 4, 2010, from
http://www.aaets.org/arts/art31.htm

Facts for families. (n.d.). American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Retrieved February 4, 2010, from
http://www.aacap.org/cs/root/facts_for_families/child_sexual.

Mahoney, D.& Faulkner, N. (1997, December) Brief overview of Pedophiles on the web The Internet Online Summit: Focus on Children. Retrieved February 4, 2010 from http://www.prevent-abuse-now.com/home.htm