After extensive research of a year on long term effects on child sexual abuse worldwide, there is so much to know. There is much the people and world are going through with respect to adults or adolescents who have been sexually abused during childhood. Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is a problem affecting millions of individuals around the world and many facts are still hidden or we can say undiscovered. The prevalence rate of 28% to 30% for women and 19% -20% of male.
With respect to Indian population while talking to adults who have been sexually abused during childhood, a population of 200 people who were sexually abused during childhood; 42% of them were males.
The fact is childhood sexual abuse is also prevalent in male but this is completely unknown. Focussing on only female child sexual abuse is one side of the story.
The research included 40% of male, 50% of female and 10% of other gender,
Major Findings Of Research.
1.Gender Identity Issues :
It’s been found that 20% of people among the sample was found to have gender identity issues in their adolescent age. They were having difficulty in understanding their gender especially when sexual abuse was done in male child and gender was abuser was also male. Some reported as It can have different results but the homosexual rape of boys result in severe cases because the anal sexual stimulation results in homosexual tendencies and distorts normal sexual development.
2.Attitude Towards Marriage.
After the research on this scale, it was found that 94% of adults who have been sexually abused during childhood their attitude towards marriage is negative or highly negative. They also believe marriage doesn’t provide any kind of security. After controlling for age, childhood sexual abuse was found to be related to more negative attitudes about marriage, more negative feelings about marriage, less readiness for marriage, and a longer perceived waiting period before marriage.
3.Sexual Intimacy.
After having qualitative research on this it was found that 70% of the adults have problems in sexual intimacy with their partners. When the survivor has difficulty trusting people and may use sex as a way of relating to others. This pattern can result in sexual relationships that are casual and short-lived. If the relationship begins to foster a deeper level of intimacy, the survivor may abandon the relationship because the heightened sense of closeness is uncomfortable. The survivor will attempt to avoid sex and intimacy altogether. Survivors experience a fear of sex and intimacy but their desire to be in a relationship is compelling enough to find a partner regardless of those feelings.
4. Optimism Level.
Out of 900 samples, none of the samples was found to have more than average or high optimism level that included both male and female. On scale when measured it was found 100% of adults who have been sexually abused during childhood their optimism level is low. There is sufficient evidence that states that adults who have been sexually abused during childhood have low optimism level and their attitude towards marriage are negative. Within the sexual abuse group, current suicidality was associated with the total number of perpetrators and the presence of sexual abuse as their optimism level goes down. There are some impacts on behaviour also that have been reported in various studies just because of the optimism level of people who have been sexually abused during childhood.
5.Long Lasting Trauma.
Adults reported on the importance of developing and sustaining trust, communication, and sexual intimacy through a variety of coping techniques and strengths that sometimes-required time to cultivate. They noted that several character traits that aided in their health including patience, empathy, and perseverance. The trauma of sexual exploitation in children sometimes impacts the children through life; they become guilty, fearful, lonely and worried. Even when they are adult feel inundated by the challenges confronting them, and they leave their relationships and are always insecure. They try to avoid intimate relationships, especially which involves sex. If the sexually abused victim is female, she gets scared if male dominates her even when it is not sexual. They either try to dominant them or leave them. There happens a flight or fight situation. They also try to deny any sexual thought.
Insecurities are planted when abuse happens because of the narcissistic way it works, and they try to control or hide their insecurities. The effects are real like psychiatric illness or gender identity disorder. The severity of abuse, the length of abuse and other abuse experienced and environment (Isolation, perpetrator, relationship etc.), the strength of character of the victim also influences mental health and relations with others. Trauma causes unwanted issues. Some people are found to have long term depression, mental illness or other psychiatric disorders. 75% of people among the sample were found to have depressive thoughts even at the age of 40 or 60 while recalling the past or seeing someone like that.
6. Promiscuous behaviour
CSA trauma manifests in different ways with each victim. in males they become promiscuous or develop an insatiable appetite for sex and try to overcompensate. If a child is sexually abused and he/she doesn’t receive treatment or is not being heard, he/she may become curious about sexual activity. His/her curiosity may also lead to misguided behaviours such as watching pornography, engaging in compulsive masturbation or being promiscuous. The study reported 30% of adults from the sample were more promiscuous among which 20% were males. As they are touched so much they liked to be touched and crave for sex. This also depends on the duration and longevity of abuse.
7. Childhood sexual abuse LBGTQ
80% among sample percent of the participants reported a history of sexual abuse during their childhood. They also claimed the brutality of abuse during their childhood. Being sexually abused by someone of one’s own sex was related to same-sex sexual orientation in male participants but not in female participants. LGBTQ youth who experience sexual abuse by someone of the same sex may feel shame or fear that their sexual orientation somehow caused the abuse. These youth may internalize negative feelings about their sexual orientation, causing them increased emotional struggle. Though it is found that 80% from the sample has a history of childhood sexual abuse but abuse has caused the change in sexual orientation is still questionable.
“We say society needs to be changed; Are we not part of the society? We judge people and label them because they do not fit in our criteria of being right.Is it really correct?
We don’t like to be judged and labelled but we make fun of people who look different, who have a different sexual orientation, who behave differently; Have we ever questioned ourselves that they can be a victim of the society and we are part of it.
Change starts with oneself.Let not judge people because they don’t fit in our criteria of being right. Every individual is struggling in some or the other way just like us. Let the change start from us. Let’s not label people,not judge people and understand more. That is what makes us human.”….
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