About Abuse
Abuse is anything that injures, damages or interferes with a person's
healthy, normal development.
Abuse is an effort to intimidate and control another person.Abuse is a form of violence, a destructive action directed at injuring the other.
The Forms of Abuse
Verbal abuse, Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Psychological abuse, Financial abuse, Stalking, Ritual abuse, Reproductive abuse, Spiritual abuse, Pornography, Harassment, Abuse of trust, and Witnessing abuse.Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is one facet of abuse. It is any sexual behaviour toward a child by a person who is in a position of power in relation to that child. This behaviour is always a betrayal of the child's trust. A child is anyone under the age of 18 years.
Child sexual abuse is not about sexuality but about power and control. People who sexually abuse children do so in order to fulfill their needs, not the needs of the child.
Child sexual abuse is not only a violation of the child's body but also of the child's trust. It is the violation of mind, body and spirit of an innocent being that makes child sexual abuse so horrifying. It is also what makes healing a long and sometimes lonely journey.
Child sexual abuse happens in all communities, in all social and economic levels, among all religions and all races. Abusers are someone typically known to the child or anyone in a position of trust with the child.
Child sexual abuse occurs when a child is used for the sexual gratification of an older adolescent or an adult. Child sexual abuse is mainly about power; it is a way for the abuser to assert his power over another.
An adult who was sexually abused as a child is a survivor of child sexual abuse.
Some Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse:
- Physical:
- physical illnesses such as ulcers, headaches, migraines, back pain, frequent infections, weight problems, asthma, epilepsy,poor sleeping habits, rashes
- hate of body (shown in behaviours such as overeating, under-eating, bingeing)
- high tolerance of pain, ability to "numb out" body sensations
- Emotional:
- trust issues - trusting too much, inability to trust anyone, distrust of oneself
- fears, phobias
- spacing out, numbing out, not really present in a situation, memory blocks
- depression, crying for seemingly no reason
- strong, and sometimes unexplainable reactions to triggers (words, areas of a house, smells, places)
- suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts
- self-injurious behaviours such as slashing, burning oneself, extreme risk-taking, workaholic behaviour, addictions
- perfectionism, obsessiveness
- hypertension, hyper-alertness, hypersensitivity
- unsure how to use anger - inability to control anger, unable to express anger, misdirects anger, uses aggression inappropriately
- feeling of anxiety, panic, helplessness, hopelessness
- Mental:
- self blame
- underestimating one's ability
- extremes in academic pursuits - either dropping out or overachieving
- mental illness, psychiatric disorders, psychosis
- dissociation, multiple personality adaptation
- Spiritual:
- loss of faith in religion, God, the Creator, your faith
- loss of confidence in and trust in spiritual leaders
- feeling empty inside
- unaware of personal power
*an excerpt from
The Journey Home: A Handbook For Those Who Support Survivors of
Child Sexual Abuse
prepared by Tamara's House, with sponsorship from Health Canada
