The figures of sexual abuse in the world are increasingly worrying. Day by day, there are hundreds individuals who suffer sexual assault by unscrupulous people. The victims tend to be mostly women, but there are also many men who are victims of abuse.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), At least one in five women has been a victim of sexual abuse in the world, violence that leaves deep marks on those who suffer it. The organization also states that half of the women victims of this type of violence know their attacker.
What comes after a traumatic experience like sexual abuse is a mix of pain and guilt, which prevents the person from talking about the issue, including, in many cases, reporting the abuse suffered. Since most of them occur in childhood and adolescence, the fear of being questioned, of not believing your version of events, is often paralyzing.
That is why often victims of abuse can only accept the fact after many years, and during that time, the traumas left by the sexual violence experienced linger, preventing them from developing a normal life.
In this article we leave you 5 tips that can help you overcome these traumasso that you can heal the emotional wounds that remain after suffering an episode of sexual abuse in childhood or at any age.
What clues may indicate that a person may have been a victim of sexual abuse?
According to psychologists specialized in cases of sexual abuse, despite the fact that each person has a different life path and their particularities in the process of coexistence and overcoming the violence suffered may vary Depending on each personality, it is possible to observe common points.
Some of the most common characteristics in people who have trauma or emotional problems caused by abusive situations may be the following:
- The person avoids physical contact, and may prefer to maintain relationships at a distance, precisely because they do not feel comfortable talking about it even with the closest people, much less with a romantic partner.
- It is also difficult for a person who has been abused to associate sex with pleasure, having difficulty feeling desire and, consequently, enjoying sexual relations.
- The person finds it difficult to trust someone again, which can cause anxiety, isolation and can be the gateway to depression.
- Many people end up developing sexual dysfunctions due to trauma, and in less frequent cases they respond with hypersexualization.
It is clear that overcoming trauma is a long and difficult process, But it is important to dispel fears, find a trusting environment to talk about the topic and begin the process of rebuilding individuality from the beginning.
How to heal the emotional wounds of sexual abuse?
There is a lot of advice that can be given to overcome the trauma of an episode of sexual abuse, however, each person knows their pain and experience, so it is always important to seek professional psychological help.
Psychotherapy is a great ally when facing the trauma left by a situation of sexual abuse. Talking about your experience is what will allow you to leave traumatic memories behind, giving new meaning to the memories and enabling the empowerment of your life.
Some tips to heal the traumas of a situation of sexual abuse in childhood, or at any age, are the following:
Tips to help you emotionally heal sexual abuse
Silence never helps
To overcome trauma and emotionally heal an episode of sexual abuse, it is always good to talk about the issue with a trusted person. Thus, in addition to finding emotional support, it will also be possible to get the impulse to make the decision to report the incident to the authorities.
Remember that silence only benefits the abuser. If you have an experience to tell, do not hesitate to do so with him. We will listen to you and provide you with all the tools you need to emotionally heal a situation of sexual abuse that you have suffered in childhood or at any age.
You can also be part of the change. , share your testimony and encourage other victims of abuse to raise their voices against child sexual abuse.