Recovering from Sexual AbuseWHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF SEXUAL ABUSE? Sexual abuse (SA) is extremely damaging to one’s core being. Survivors of SA always blame themselves for some aspect of the abuse. This is part of the destructive power that SA has. Survivors experience fear, shame, low self-esteem and depression. HOW ARE THE DESTRUCTIVE EFFECTS OF SA OVERCOME? The most successful treatment program for recovering from SA is outlined in The Courage to Heal by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis. The process involves moving through several healing stages: • Finding a safe place and a safe person where you can process the abuse These stages take time and the help and support of a caring therapist or support group. The Core Healing CenterTM specializes in helping survivors to recover from the painful and damaging effects of SA. You do not have to live with the pain, fear, shame and low self-esteem that SA causes. For more information or to make an appointment call the Core Healing Center today at (734) 776-2284 WHAT IS Sexual Abuse? When someone manipulates another person into participating in a sexual activity that they would not normally choose to do, it is called SA. Anytime a child is exposed to any form of sexual activity it is SA. Children do not have the personal power needed to make an informed decision about sexual activity; therefore, it is sexually abusive to expose a child to any form of sexually related behaviors. Many adults have such low self-esteem that they do not believe that they have a right to say “no” to sexual advances; they are manipulated into sexual encounters that they do not wish to have; this is also SA. Children and adults can also experience SA when they are physically overpowered by a perpetrator and forced into sexual activity. Sexually abusive behaviors are coercive in nature. They include: rape, molestation, exposing someone to pornography or nudity, calling someone sexually derogative names, manipulating one’s partner into having sex when they do not wish it, or manipulating them into performing a sexual act that they do not want to engage in. |