SEXUAL ASSAULT AGAINST CHILDREN: CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE. INCEST
Signs of Child Sexual Abuse
Physical signs of child sexual abuse include weight gain or loss, abdominal pain, vomiting, urinary tract infections, or pain in the genital areas.
Behavioral signs may include sleeping problems, nightmares, withdrawal from others, loss of toilet training, or frequent bathing. When they are being sexually abused, children may become preoccupied with their sexuality .They may indulge in excessive masturbation or sex play. Children who are sexually abused may also abuse younger children.
The emotional effects of sexual abuse include low self-esteem, guilt, shame, and depression. Suicide attempts, eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, intimacy problems, and sexual dysfunction can also be responses to child sexual abuse.
When sexual abuse of children happens within the family, it is called incest. Incest is a controversial topic. Some adults report that their incestuous relationships as children were positive. This is especially true of those who recall exploratory sex play with siblings of about the same age. Many others recall that these relationships were confusing and harmful.
Incest, especially between parent and child, can have serious emotional effects on children. They may become less able to feel safe and secure, even when they become adults. Like other children who are abused, they may feel such guilt and shame that they grow up having difficulty with intimacy, self-esteem, body image, and sexual pleasure.
These aftereffects may be especially confusing. Children may experience some erotic pleasure and some comfort by being so close to a parent. At the same time, they may fear and distrust the parent whom they love and with whom they want to feel safe. They may be so ashamed and confused by their feelings that they don’t know what to do or where to turn. They may try to keep it all a secret within themselves.
Children and adults who suffer the effects of incestuous relationships may benefit from professional mental health care to relieve the shame, guilt, anger, and sexual conflict they feel.
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