Unit 11

Sexual Abuse: Sexual abuse represents any kind of sexual contact between an adult or older teen and a child. This behaviour is used to gain power over the child and often involves a betrayal of the child's trust. There are many types of sexual abuse, some include physical contact or touching offenses. This includes fondling, touching sexual organs, masturbation, making the child touch the adult sexually, and vaginal or anal penetration with self or objects. Non touching offenses include exposing a child to pornographic material, indecent exposure, leering and deliberately putting the child in the position of having to witness an act of sexual intercourse.

Effects of sexual abuse: 

If an adult is still in a relationship with someone and are being sexually abuse by someone else sex with their partner may feel like an obligation and sexual thoughts and images that are disturbing. They may find it difficult watching sexual scenes on the television or in movies and may freak out at this. A woman may also feel vaginal pain due to forced sexual intercourse; this could last for quite a while and can be very uncomfortable for the woman. For a man being abused outside a relationship they might find erections problems or ejaculatory difficulty when with their partner, this may be both difficult for them and their partner and may be frustrating. When having sexual intercourse with a partner there may be Detachment or emotional distance. When being touched they might feel guilt, fear, anger, disgust or other negative feelings.

Major Long-Term Medical Symptoms of Sexual Abuse may be insomnia. Insomnia is when someone has difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Insomnia is a common problem for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. This is can be caused by fear, stress, anxiety, feelings of guilt, and inability to let go of what happened in the past. Some victims of sexual abuse may develop eating disorders due to feeling bad about themselves and may be so distressed...