The consequences of child sexual abuse can be vast but so are the opportunities for healing. Everyone is impacted differently based on several factors including but not limited to:
- Age at the time of the abuse
- Duration of the abuse
- Extent of the abuse (visual, fondling, oral, penetration, pornography, violence)
- Relationship with, as well as age and gender of the perpetrator
- If there were multiple perpetrators (at one time or different incidents)
- Other types of abuse involved (emotional, physical, spiritual, etc.)
- Whether family, friends, and authorities believed you and/or protected you
- Access to early treatment opportunities
Many survivors spend years or even a lifetime stuffing the reality of their abuse, minimizing the impact, accepting reactive coping mechnisms and treating the symptoms of the abuse instead of the trauma itself. If you long to be free from the impact that your abuse has had on your life, we recommend a proactive, intentional approach to healing which starts with an honest assessment of how the abuse has impacted your life.
Because child sexual abuse has direct physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, relational, behavioral, sexual and moral impacts, it's important to assess each of these areas separately. Only when you understand where you are, can you chart an accurate course to where you're going and gather the tools and support needed to achieve full healing and freedom from your past.