A number of studies have found that approximately 40% to 50% of people who seek mental health services have been sexually abused as children. How can I know if I was a victim of child sexual abuse? When you were a young child or teenager, were you: - Touched in sexual areas?
- Shown sexual movies or forced to listen to sexual talk?
- Made to pose for seductive or sexual photographs?
- Subjected to unnecessary medical treatments?
- Forced to perform oral sex on an adult or sibling?
- Raped or otherwise penetrated?
- Fondled, kissed, or held in a way that made you feel uncomfortable?
- Forced to take part in ritualized abuse in which you were physically or sexually tortured?
- Bathed in a way that felt intrusive to you?
- Objectified and ridiculed about your body?
- Encouraged or goaded into sex you didn't really want?
- Told all you were good for was sex?
- Involved in a child prostitution or pornography?
The Long Term Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse: - Damaged goods syndrome
- Low self-esteem
- Guilt/shame
- Fear/Depression
- Lack of clear boundaries
- Difficulty with intimacy/relationships
- Difficulty recognizing and connecting with feelings
- Repressed anger and hostility
- Inability to trust
- Sexuality issues
- Inability to trust one's own perceptions
- Control issues
- Absolute thinking
- Dissociation/Multiple personality disorder
Stages in Healing: - The decision to heal
- The emergency stage
- Remembering/Believing it happened
- Understanding that it was not the victim's fault
- Trusting oneself
- Grieving and mourning
- Anger-the backbone of healing
- Disclosures and confrontations
- Forgiveness? (the only essential forgiveness is for the victim to forgive her/himself)
- Spirituality/Resolution and moving on
*Adapted from The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis | 
