Child abuse — physical, emotional, sexual, or neglect — leaves wounds that are real and that often persist quietly into adulthood, shaping self-worth, relationships, and mental health. If you are a survivor: what happened was not your fault, and healing is possible. Trauma-informed therapy offers a safe, confidential space to understand those effects and recover from them, at your own pace and without pressure.
The effects of childhood abuse are not always easy to trace back to their source. Anxiety, depression, difficulty trusting, a harsh inner voice, trouble with closeness, or a sense that something is wrong that you cannot quite name — these can all have roots in early experiences, sometimes decades later. Recognising that connection is often the beginning of relief rather than distress: it means the difficulty was never a flaw in you. Dr. Prerna Kohli has worked with survivors of child abuse, and their families, for over 30 years at her clinic in Gurgaon.
The forms abuse takes, and how it lingers
Abuse in childhood can be physical, emotional (constant criticism, rejection, or fear), sexual, or neglect — the absence of the care and safety a child needs. Any of these can leave lasting marks: difficulties with self-esteem and trust, anxiety or depression, post-traumatic symptoms, shame, or patterns in adult relationships that repeat the past. Because so much of it is carried in silence, many survivors reach adulthood believing they are alone in it. They are not.
India’s largest national study on the subject — the government’s Study on Child Abuse: India 2007, covering over 12,000 children — found abuse to be far more common than most people realise, most often at the hands of someone the child knew, and drastically under-reported: only around 3% of cases were ever reported at the time. The secrecy and silence so many survivors experienced were the norm, not a personal failing (Ministry of Women and Child Development, 2007).
Healing is possible
The lasting message of trauma research is a hopeful one: the effects of abuse can be worked through, and people do recover. Trauma-informed therapy provides a safe, steady, confidential relationship in which the past can be understood and its grip loosened — never by forcing you to revisit anything before you are ready, but by moving at a pace that feels safe throughout. The goal is not only to process what happened, but to rebuild self-worth, trust, and the capacity for the relationships and life you deserve.
If you are worried about a child now
If you believe a child is currently being harmed or is in immediate danger, please treat it as an urgent safety matter and contact the local authorities or police without delay. Protecting a child comes first; therapeutic support — for the child and the family — can follow once they are safe.
Reaching out
Whether the abuse was recent or long ago, whether you are a survivor yourself or a parent supporting a child, you do not have to carry it alone. Speaking to a psychologist is confidential and entirely free of judgment — and it is often the first step out of a silence that may have lasted a very long time.
If the wounds of childhood are still with you, healing is possible — at your own pace, in a safe and confidential space. Support is here whenever you’re ready.
About Dr. Prerna Kohli
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a clinical psychologist with more than three decades of experience in private practice in Gurgaon. She holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was honoured with the 100 Women Achievers of India award (2016) by the President of India. Consultations are available in-clinic in DLF Phase 3, Gurgaon, and online worldwide.