Sexual abuse and the development of a child
When thinking about different stressors child may be exposed to I decided on sexual abuse - it is a hard topic to discuss but something that has long term affects on an individual.Being sexually abused as a child has put a strain on my friends relationships, both with partners and peers. She was very closed off in high school, has anxiety about going places alone, and poor self-image. After talking with her this week to get a better idea about her lifestyle I believe the abuse is the number one cause. She has grown tremendously through counseling and talking with family/friends about her insecurities. She has also gone to her doctor to help with her anxiety.
Growing up with a friend who was abused as a child (by her brother) and thinking back to how this affected her emotionally it opened my eyes to others who may have experienced abuse and how they have coped with it. I researched how individuals in Australia cope with being abused as a child, they tend to have the same effects as my friend. There is, however, an organization in Australia called Bravehearts. There mission is to stop sexual assault in their society and their vision is to make Australia the safest place in the world to raise a child (Ronken & Johnston, 2012). This program uses three piers they believe will help with the prevention of abuse; educate, empower, and protect. They have two types of programs to educate individuals, one for early childhood and one for older child. They empower by having community awareness campaigns and a White Balloon Day. Their goal for protecting victims of abuse is by having counselors and advocates.
References:
Ronken, C., & Johnston, H. (2012). Child Sexual Assault: Facts and Statistics. Bravehearts.
Retrieved from https://www.bravehearts.org.au/files/Facts%20and%20Stats_updated141212.pdf
Hey Chrissy,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry about your friend, sharing her abuse story with family and friends is a good step towards healing. sexual abuse has become very prevalent among children all over the world and unfortunately they are sexually abused by relatives who should actually be protecting them and this makes it even harder for the victim of abuse. Sexual abuse is the worst form of maltreatment because it is very personal and very destructive crime. the effects on the victim and his/her loved ones can be emotional, psychological and physical. I hope that your friend will work on herself to get past all these stressors, have a happy life, and be a testimony to others.
Hi Chrissy,
ReplyDeleteAs you talked about your research into the effects of sexual abuse on children in Australia you mentioned that it appeared as though the effects/challenges are similar to the challenges faced by your friend. So much of our reading from the book, "The Developing Person Through Childhood" (Berger, 2015) talks about the nature-nurture debate and how these components impact one another. This made me wonder if children all over the world who are victims of sexual abuse have similar challenges and effects to overcome based on how it impacts their brain development (nature) as well as what role culture may have in either exacerbating or alleviating any effects/challenges. Perhaps understanding this connection would help in understanding what is necessary to provide the best possible environment to support victims and promote healing.
Hi Chrissy,
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing about your friend. Yes, I agree any form abuse can have devastating effects on person's life experiences. She was fortunate to have a friend like you that she could share her story. I am glad she was able to receive the appropriate counseling she needed.