In a world statistical survey, it is seen that one in three girls and one in seven boys are sexually abused as a child.
Often more than less, it is done by people who are around us and not someone strange. The person can be the trusted servant, the maid, the cook, the cousin brother or sister, step-father, the uncle and sometimes even by the father and/or the mother. People we love, we cherish often break us and our trust.
The touch begins as play, and it is difficult to understand as a child, the why. Most of the times the child doesn’t even understand what is going on with them. Until it is too late for them to know. All these leave a dreadful memory as an adult, and the person is clouded by shame and guilt.
Many times, survivors of sexual abuse wish that the person who abused them would have been a stranger. Thus, making it easier for the others to understand what they went through, and moreover make others believe them.
But, sadly around ninety percent of time children are molested and abused by someone they loved, admired or were close to.
Most often than not, people who are survivors of childhood sexual abuse suffer from serious mental health issues. Some are constantly haunted by the memories, and some become paranoid about situations. But, most people are afraid to open up about their experience. It is after all their loved ones who did it, and no one believed them then, so why would they believe them now.
Hence, due to all these thoughts most survivors never open up. But, it is important to know and understand that it is nothing to be ashamed of, and it was not your fault. Talking about the experience helps you to heal from it, and taking help to heal yourself doesn’t mean that you have done something wrong.
The feelings of guilt, shame and sadness follow the person who is a survivor of sexual abuse. Hence, it becomes a struggle of their own pain and nightmares, and trauma and troubles related to sex or fears related to parenting. Talking about the experience is waging a war against these feelings and the whole experience itself. There have been several instances where sexual abuse survivors have successfully fought against their abusers, thus simultaneously fighting with their own feelings and guilt.
It is a very difficult and traumatic experience for the child, and fighting for your own truth and justice makes it even more difficult. But, fighting with your feelings of guilt and shame is what someone must do.
No one deserves to go through such experience and re-live it again and again.
Thus, opening up about it is the first step anyone can take.
Recently, there have been many famous celebrities who are coming forward with their own experience. People who are survivors can muster and gather strength from these reports and come forward and open up about their own feelings.
The problem faced by many survivors is not that they don’t know who abused them, or where they are now, but the underlying shame of not being able to protect themselves or others and going through the horrible experience of abuse. They feel guilty about having been innocent, naïve, gullible, exploitable and incapable of defending oneself.
Hence, if you or someone you know has gone through the similar experience, it is time to open up.
Don’t be afraid, because you are not at fault.
Also, the implications of the abuse suffered, results in various mental illnesses. Thus, it is important to speak up about it to a mental health professional as soon as possible.
