Children look to adults to explain the world to them. Their age gives them authority. However, some adults take advantage of the innocence of a child. They can easily manipulate a child into doing lascivious and indecent actions. Children do not fully comprehend sexual abuse. They might not always understand the meaning and significance of consent either. How could a child report something they do not even recognize as wrong?
Even worse is that the adult might perpetuate the sexual abuse throughout the child’s life. A child eventually becomes an adult and must deal with the long-term consequences of experiencing such traumatizing abuse.
The long-term effects of experiencing sexual abuse at a young age
The impact of childhood trauma can resurface as an adult in subtle ways that become psychologically incapacitating as it progresses. These are only some of the devastating effects of childhood sexual abuse:
- Inability to maintain a healthy or stable relationship
- Sexual dysfunction
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Self-esteem issues
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Substance abuse
- Eating disorders
- Sleeping disorders
- Suicidal tendencies
Every person copes differently. They try to bury the pain deep inside, but that only makes it worse. Someone who has dealt with molestation, sexual assault or battery as a child may not realize that the abuse was why they are now experiencing psychological illness as an adult.
It is never too late to deal with the pain of the past
The abuser is a criminal and deserves to pay for the crimes they committed. In California, a person who has experienced childhood sexual abuse can file a lawsuit against the perpetrator regardless of when the crime occurred. The victim has five years upon discovering that childhood sexual abuse is the reason behind the psychological injury or illness they now experience as an adult.
The psychological stress from refusing to deal with the abuse can cause serious health problems. It is never too late to face the demons of the past.