What is childhood sexual abuse trauma?

Childhood sexual abuse is among the most common causes of psychological trauma.

In this article we will see its keys as an element of mental health disruption. Understanding the psychological elements at the base of childhood trauma is important to know how to act in these cases.

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What is a trauma?

The human mind is characterized by its dynamism, the way in which our interaction with the world and with those who populate it makes our way of interpreting things, thinking and feel. It is thanks to this dynamic nature of the mind that we are so predisposed to learn in all kinds of situations; in fact, we do it constantly, even when we are unaware of it. This is precisely why we are able to carry out tasks that are far removed from the skills with which we are born: learning several languages, reading, playing complex sports, etc.

But this tendency to learn is not limited only to internalize verbalizable knowledge (knowledge of history, philosophy ...) or ways to coordinate our muscles to know how to move in certain situations that require it (driving, climbing, etc.). It also includes a predisposition to learn through emotions.

Many experiences we go through mark us, for better and for worse, something that should not surprise us: emotions are the main thing element that motivates us to adapt to the circumstances we live in and to overcome difficulties without falling into them again and again mistakes. But sometimes, those emotional marks are so intense that they become dysfunctional, a problem that goes beyond the painful experience that that memory has generated. This is what happens with trauma.

Trauma occurs when we are not able to integrate into our memories normally the contents of a certain experience that made us suffer a lot.; This makes us evoke over and over again the emotions and sensations linked to that part of our memory emotional, and that this experience disturbs us generating anxiety, fear, or in extreme cases, even dissociations. In most cases, traumas are produced by experiences associated with violence or catastrophes and accidents, with sexual abuse being among these kinds of experiences.

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Traumatic disorders in childhood

Psychological trauma is a phenomenon that can occur in people of any age, but childhood is the time in life when we are most vulnerable to it. At these ages, the mark left by the traumatic event usually leaves more sequelae, and these have a greater capacity to negatively affect the psychological development of the victim.

On the one hand, the feeling of helplessness of children with traumas is usually greater, by having a lesser capacity to identify and express their emotions. Although it has been proven that putting into words what we feel helps to overcome traumatic events, in the first years of life it is difficult to make use of this kind of resources (which are part of what is known as "labeling emotional").

On the other hand, the lack of information, references, material resources and criteria to know what to do, makes many minors unable to even leave the context that can expose them more times to traumatic situations: homes in which there is intrafamily violence, educational centers in which there is abuse, etc. In fact, it is very common for them to feel guilty about what happens to them.

As the way in which we manage our emotions when facing painful situations greatly affects how they are reflected in our memories, sexual abuse in the childhood are capable of giving rise to a chain reaction of psychological problems that last for many years, especially if treatment is never available psychological. Once the trauma has been consolidated in the worst possible way, it is more difficult to correct the situation (although not impossible), and can facilitate the appearance of imbalances when managing emotions and integrating into the society.

For example, it has been seen that in the United States of America the percentage of people who suffered sexual abuse in childhood is twice as high in prisons as outside them, despite the fact that, as we will see, this type of alteration does not occur fundamentally in poor families or at risk of exclusion, but rather occurs in all social classes. In addition, in the USA it has been found that those who experienced sexual abuse in their first years of life are about nine times more likely to be involved in criminal activity than the average citizens.

Characteristics of families in which sexual abuse may arise

Not trivializing sexual abuse involves becoming aware that these forms of violence are a cross-cutting phenomenon throughout society. They do not only occur in poor households or unstructured families, but their prevalence extends over all kinds of childhoods and domestic and educational contexts: where there are children, abuse can occur sexual.

That is why there is no characteristic “type of family” in which this kind of violation of children occurs; however yeah there are factors that increase the risk of this occurring. Among them, the fact that the child does not live with relatives, the use of drugs by one or both parents, the fact of having developed some form of disability, or the contexts of violence domestic.

Sexual abuse in childhood and the family

In most cases, the perpetrator of the sexual abuse of boys and girls is part of the victim's family; Furthermore, sometimes the father and / or mother is aware of what is happening but conceals these violations. This causes a toxic atmosphere to be generated around the child who participates in the violence he is experiencing and from which it is difficult to escape: do not deal only with memories of the abuse but with the emotional ambivalence of how you feel about the father or mother, uncle or aunt, etc.

In other cases, the trauma reaches beyond the immediate victim of abuse. For example, it occurs when the father or mother blames themselves for not having realized what was happening sooner, or they consider themselves participants in what happened because they did not act on the matter at the first suspicions, etc.

Ultimately, the trauma of sexual abuse has both an individual and a family dimension both in the risk factors and in the effects of this form of violence.

Are you looking for psychotherapeutic support?

If you want to start a process of psychological therapy to overcome problems associated with trauma, I invite you to contact me.