What happens to a child after he/she suffers sexual abuse?

Sexual abuse in childhood has serious and lasting psychological consequences. Long term psychological correlates of childhood sexual abuse include depression, suicidal tendencies, sexual dysfunction, self-mutilation, chronic anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociation and memory impairment.

Dr. Natalia Tapia, assistant professor of Justice, Law and Public Safety Studies at Lewis University, is the author of "Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and Predictors of Adult Re-victimization in the United States: A Forward Logistic Regression Analysis" in the International Journal of Criminal Justice Sciences.

[damardamar]

Let's be honest here.. most of us who clicked on this video were sexually abuse when we were kids

[lindaruss]

I think the worst scars the abuse leaves is the inability to receive REAL Love from others/and to Trust others! 😔

[janikb]

My sister was molested by one of our relatives. Although she was never suicidal or depressed,
She was always afraid of being alone with another male and was rather cold in her relationships because she didn't know how to express love without feeling sick.

[ratacataviousbrown]

The shame, the dirtiness and feeling out of control and like a deep sense of something wrong with me and no one to talk to about it. Just carrying this heavy burden all day, every day playing it over and over in my head my entire childhood and even into adulthood. That's what sexual abuse is. It also feels like falling into a ocean and drowning, because you can't wrap your mind around if its your fault, their fault and parents who almost never handle these situations their children report to them the right way. I think the parent's reaction frequently causes the situation to become worse. My advice is to let the light of day shine over the entire situation, don't withdraw from your child like they are damaged goods and get psychological help for your child the very day they tell you. Do not waste a second to believe that child and to get that child to a professional immediately.

[gisellerangel]

Im sorry to anyone who has suffered this kind of abuse. Know that you are STRONG and your survival is inspirational.

[danielrodolfo]

It ruined my life, 😡. Ppl just think I m weak or that I just don t care about making a good life

[puurrrr]

*I didn't even hear what she said. I was so busy reading the comments

[AlishaStieben]

seeing so many people in the comments who can relate to what i experienced as a child gives me an enormous sense of relief, and also disgust. i hate that all of us had to go through this, but we are strong, and we made it through.

[nina-bhnx]

My mother did blame me. sucks. She's really crazy

[mamiyah]

Children cannot cope with abuse when the parent is turning their heads the next direction. Let us all deal with it. NOW

[keishalyon]

My subconscious has blocked the details of what happened but with that I can't remember blocks of my childhood and I'm depressed too darn much.

Edit: Wow! I'm not alone!

[MzGumby]

Welp...a lifetime of pain. It never goes away. While the predator is living a good life with a beautiful family, I'm still messed up in the head. Sorry, but it's something I can never shake, but I did forgive. Ptsd, bipolar disorder, dysthymia disorder, and mulitple sleep disorders. Maybe my next lifetime will be better. I'm stronger than I will be. I'm a survivor who lives in unforgotten pain mentally, emotionally, and physically. #STAYSTRONG

[malkansheikh]

My dad molested me went into foster care got raped for my virginity. I am 29 years old now and it really damaged me. I just want my life back.

[mirandadelaviska]

I was abused when I was around 5-6 years old, and dealing alone with abuse is the hardest thing I've ever done. My family are most wonderful people I could ever asked for, but just that fact makes me feel sick over the thought of telling the truth. I've spent my whole life afraid of fall in hole where I can't come out. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't cut myself, I don't do drugs and I am pretty sure I don't have anxiety or severe depression. But I suspect I have dissociation, and I push people away so often I don't have friends. And I'm scared, because I feel that I'm in the edge of failing all the time and I just want to heal but don't know how.

[jonathanseruwu]

When I was 6, I was sexually abused multiple times by my male cousin. He threatened me that if I speak, Amy granny’s ghost would kill me at night; he knew that ghost were my biggest fear and he took advantage of that.
My dad never cared about me so much as a child, he loved more the company of friends and drinking alcohol and ladies. My mum had left me when I was months old to go and look for money to sustain us and for school since my dad has never paid my tuition in my entire life. Till today, I have suffered disorders from the abuse for about 18 years. I have faces this alone. I have never told anyone about what happened back then.
People judge me, leave me and criticize me of the disorders but they don’t know where it all comes from.
Depression cabs me all long. Thoughts of sucide room in my head.

[MariaGonzalez-nvnl]

Shame is a big one, I kno, I still feel vulnerable. Sad n lonely childhood, teenage years secluded, an adulthood lot of confusion n anger.

[sis-]

I opened up to my sister today, the incident happened 2 years ago. I thought I couldn’t tell anyone because I felt ashamed and disgusted. I’m just so happy to tell someone and not feel ashamed anymore.

[DFthepolarbear]

7 of my girlfriends were molested or raped by an uncle. My best friend who I called my sister was abused by her uncle and I didn’t know until after her father died. She took me to the park to tell me and the gruesome details, the rug burns on her back from the uncle raping her things like that. she wished she had told her dad but she was afraid her dad would have killed the uncle and she would no longer see her dad because he’d be in prison. So she didn’t tell a soul until after her fathers death. Soon after she began doing heroine and died leaving a diary of her life. I always knew she was sad and depressed and different a lot as a kid and she wouldn’t say why. I wish I could go back and have been her voice. When you touch someone without consent or push them and they only do it out of fear you are creating a monster, you are killing a soul just because you didn’t kill them physically you still killed their soul and I hope some recover best they can. I wish all the sick people in this world would just go away forever.

[prettynikki]

I hope every victim spends the rest of their lives becoming an advocate& helping others

[davecullins]

This makes me sad, but now I know that when someone is a substance abuser, they have most likely been abused during childhood and are really just crying out for comfort and help. Someone to understand and love them unconditionally, unlike their parents who failed to do it.