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Sexual Abuse
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What
is sexual abuse or sexual aggression? It
is someone who forces himself sexually on someone else. The victim is non
consenting or is unable to consent because of age, mental or physical
status, alcohol, drugs or medication. We usually use the term sexual
abuse when the victim is under the age of 14 and the sexual
perpetrator is an adult. A sexual aggression can be perpetrated in
different ways. The sexual perpetrator may watch the victim undressing or
touching herself, he may touch her or have her touch him, force her to
oral sex or to penetrations. Victims of sexual aggression differ in age,
gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, education and social status.
Statistics reveal that about one woman out of four have been sexually
assaulted, compared to one man out of six. Consequences vary : ·
Physical
: hurts,
pain, sleeping disorders, eating disorders, negative body image, pregnancy,
sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) ·
Psychological
: fear,
anxiety, sadness, anger, isolation, feeling of betrayal, guilt, low
self-esteem, lack of assertiveness, post-traumatic stress disorder ·
Relational
: difficulty
to trust, communication problems, difficulty in conflict resolution,
difficulty to engage in a long term relationship, fear of intimacy ·
Sexual
: sexual
aversion, low sexual desire / sexual addiction, sexual arousal
difficulties, anorgasmia, sexual pain disorders
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Copyright © 2009 Geneviève Parent |