Sexual Molestation in Childhood, Incest, Date Rape, Stranger Rape, Partner Rape, Sexual Harrassment, Sexual Abuse by a Parent or Family Member 

Healing from Sexual Abuse

People who have been the victims of sexual abuse in their childhood or adult lives can suffer lasting physical and / or emotional harm. They may never have had an opportunity to get help. That past victimization can pose challenges for them in developing healthy relationships if they haven't worked through the harm that was suffered.  If the abuse was committed by a parent or other trusted person, the damage is greater because an essential relationship was corrupted or destroyed.  In many cases, the longer the abuse went on, the more the person was harmed, both by the abuse and by the shame of the secret.

Some people who are sexually abused will later experience feelings of shame about their bodies or their sexuality, trouble experiencing emotional intimacy, assuming they must have sex in order to get affection, or inability to function well in intimate relationships.  Some people engage in self-harming behaviors such as drug use, promiscuity, or cutting.  There are many additional harmful effects of sexual abuse and each person responds uniquely to their own circumstance. There is no "right" way to feel and the victim is faultless, even if they have feelings of guilt.

SexUAL aBUSE tREATMENT