On this page: |
Our experiences in childhood play a big part in shaping our health and well-being throughout our lives. Sexual abuse in childhood is a crime that can affect people for a long time. But many cases are never reported. Some people feel very scared about reporting abuse. They may feel embarrassed, guilty or ashamed. Some people blame themselves or believe that they deserved to be abused. Others report abuse, but they aren’t taken seriously or believed.
What is it?
In BC, a child is anyone under the age of 19.1 Sexual abuse is any sexual contact between a child and another person or using a child for sexual purposes. It's often done by someone the child knows and trusts. Sexual exploitation is another form of child sexual abuse. It happens when a child is talked into or forced into sex acts in exchange for things like money, drugs, food or shelter.2 Online child sexual exploitation happens when someone else manipulates or tricks a child to watch or participate in something sexual. One type of online sexual exploitation is "sextortion"—when someone manipulates a child to send them sexual photos or videos, then threatens to share that content with others if the child doesn't meet demands like pay money or send more content.
Who does it affect?
In a Canadian survey, almost 1 in 12 respondents reported experiences of sexual abuse before the age of 15.3 In a BC survey, 10% of youth ages 12-19 reported experiences of sexual abuse.4 The exact number of young people who experience sexual abuse is hard to determine because many cases are not reported to police or other authorities.5 Different definitions of abuse in research also add to challenges in understanding who is affected.6 However, many experts agree that rates of abuse are likely underreported.
Young people rarely experience one incident of abuse. Most people who experience childhood sexual abuse also experience other forms of abuse, such as physical or emotional abuse. Young people who are abused are also more likely to witness abuse against another person at home, which can also cause significant trauma.7,8
Experiences of childhood sexual abuse can have significant impacts on mental and physical health into adulthood. In one review, 38% of adults who experienced childhood sexual abuse were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and 28% reported a substance use problem.9
Children living with a disability are more likely to experience sexual abuse.10 These disabilities may also make it harder to identify mental health problems, like post-traumatic stress disorder, that are linked to the abuse.11
Childhood sexual abuse can happen to anyone in any community. However, factors like poverty, homelessness, loss, racism, transphobia, and homophobia can increase the risk. In BC, youth who are homeless are much more likely to have experienced sexual abuse.12-14
Recognizing men
Cisgender men (men who identify with the sex assigned them at birth) are less likely than women to be recognized as victims of sexual abuse, less likely to disclose abuse, less likely to be taken seriously and less likely to receive treatment.15 Men are often viewed as less vulnerable than women,16 and research also suggests that mental health professionals are less likely to ask cisgender men about sexual abuse or less likely to recognize sexual abuse.17
How does childhood sexual abuse affect adult well-being?
Childhood sexual abuse can have a wide range of effects in adulthood. Some adult survivors* experience few mental health problems. Others experience many mental health problems related to their experiences. Abuse can be traumatic. Trauma is a response to a situation that’s overwhelming, intense and distressing. The effects of trauma include a complicated mix of factors, such as:
-
The amount of any kind of trauma you previously experienced
-
How close you were to the person who abused you and the nature of your relationship
-
How long the abuse lasted
-
How people you trust reacted to the abuse, if you told them—did they believe you and support you or dismiss you?18
-
Your own supports and protective factors, such as secure relationships with others and access to help
Here are some of the ways that childhood sexual abuse can affect the well-being of people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse:
-
Trust—Abuse may impair your sense that the world is a safe place and impair your ability to trust others. The effects of abuse on trust and relationships may be particularly harmful if you had a close relationship with the abuser.19
-
Self-esteem—You may blame yourself for the abuse, even though it isn’t your fault. You may have a hard time feeling good about yourself or hopeful about your future. This may also affect your relationships with other people.20
-
Coping with stress—You may have a lot of negative feelings, which may make it hard to cope with everyday stress.21
-
Impulsivity—Impulsivity means acting on urges before thinking through the consequences. Acting impulsively can lead to risky or dangerous activities.22
-
Anger—You may have a hard time controlling your anger.23
-
Dissociation—With dissociation, your mind "separates" itself from painful events to protect itself. You may have a hard time remembering what happened, feel like the world around you isn't real or feel like you aren't connected to your body. It's a common reaction to pain and fear.24
-
Self-injury—You may harm yourself, but not intend to end your life. It may be a way to cope with difficult thoughts or feelings. Dissociation may play an important role in self-injury.25
These are common trauma responses. But they can affect your relationships and the way you live your life. It's important to get help if you are having a hard time coping with past experiences of trauma.
Other problems linked to childhood sexual abuse include:
-
Mental illness—Experiencing childhood sexual abuse does not mean that you will develop a mental illness, but it is one of many risk factors. People who experience childhood sexual abuse may have a higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder,26 depression,27 eating disorders,28 dissociative disorders,29 and personality disorders.30
-
Substance use problems—Survivors of childhood sexual abuse are at greater risk of developing problems with alcohol and other drugs31-33 and may be more likely to start using substances at a younger age.34-37 There may also be a link between your response to childhood sexual abuse (such as depression, low self-esteem or post-traumatic stress disorder) and the risk of experiencing problems with substances.38-40 Survivors of childhood sexual abuse may use substances to reduce or cope with their symptoms.41,42
Revictimization
Revictimization means that you experience abuse again at another time in your life. People who experience childhood sexual abuse are two to three times more likely to experience abuse as adults. Some of the reasons are that the child abuse may have affected the way the person interprets warning signs, understands trust and control in relationships, and expects others to act in relationships.43 Experiencing revictimization is not your fault. It speaks to how deeply traumatic experiences can affect people.
What can I do about it?
"I made it through child and young-adult sexual abuse...I figured I could survive running away. But to make it through the shame: would I survive that? I healed with other peers, all of us learning together. I learned we have a common struggle. This made me feel a part of a larger whole, a struggle others were in, not just me. Community is where the most potential exists for healing. If you have proximity to your community and proximity to supportive services that don’t dictate, but offer solutions, you can heal. No matter how messed up a person seems, they always do better in the community they choose." —Kym A. Hines, a survivor44
It's important to find help as soon as you can. Connecting with others who care about and support you as early as possible can help protect you from the negative impact of childhood sexual abuse and help you heal. Unfortunately, many people feel that talking about childhood sexual abuse is taboo, even though we know it happens and know that it's a crime. Survivors may feel a lot of shame or even blame themselves. Some survivors are cut off from supports like family, friends and community members when they talk about their experiences. This isolation can make it harder to heal and feel well again. If you aren't sure who you can talk to, check out the resources in the next section of this sheet.
You can also find help for problems associated with childhood sexual abuse. Treatment for adult survivors may help you:
-
Overcome troubling thoughts and feelings, like self-blame, guilt or low-self-esteem
-
Overcome unhelpful coping strategies, like self-harm or eating problems
-
Build healthy skills, like building trust and setting healthy boundaries in relationships
Treatment should also address any other mental health or substance use problems, so it will look different for everyone. Treatment doesn't automatically mean that you must talk about everything that happened to you. There are many ways to find support without sharing a lot of details.
You may have experienced traumatic events in the past, but people can help now. It is never too late to find help.45 People who experience trauma—even if it happened in the past—can and do find well-being. There is always reason to hope for a better future.
"Getting help with the emotions locked deep inside my core showed me a new way to live. I learned how to speak of my personal history without reliving it. I began to understand that life isn't happening to me; life is happening for me. I won't lie. Feeling feelings sucks! But sometimes—just sometimes—good feelings can slide through a sliver of an opening produced when we reach out." —survivor46
Where do I go from here?
If you are in danger or believe that someone else is in danger, call 9-1-1.
BC Mental Health Support Line
Crisis lines aren't only for people in crisis. You can call for information on local services or if you just need someone to talk to. If you are in distress, call 310-6789 (no area code) 24 hours a day to connect to a BC crisis line, without a wait or busy signal.
VictimLinkBC
Call or text 1-800-563-0808 for information and referrals for many different services, including victim services, counselling services, housing resources and government resources. It's free, confidential and available 24 hours a day. VictimLinkBC is available in over 110 languages. For more information, visit www.victimlinkbc.ca. It's available to you even if you are not planning to file a police report.
One in Six
Visit www.1in6.org to learn more about male survivors of childhood sexual abuse and connect with others. You can also find resources for family members, friends and loved ones.
Little Warriors
Visit littlewarriors.ca. The organization works to build awareness, prevent sexual abuse and support young people who experience sexual abuse. They provide mental health support for young people and families affected by childhood sexual abuse as well as education for young people and adults on preventing and responding to childhood sexual abuse.
Preventing and Treating Child Maltreatment
This issue of Simon Fraser University's Children's Mental Health Research Quarterly discusses child abuse and neglect. Visit www.childhealthpolicy.sfu.ca to learn more, including risk factors, prevention strategies and effective treatments.
If you believe a child is being abused
Call 911 if you believe a child is in immediate danger. Call 911 if a crime has been committed against a child, is being committed against a child, or will likely be committed against a child.
In BC, the law says that anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected must report it to a child welfare worker. Call 1-800-663-9122 at any time to report suspected abuse or neglect.47
In this fact sheet, we use the term "survivor" to describe anyone who has experienced abuse because it's the term used most often in research. People who experience sexual abuse can and do survive and thrive.28
About the author
The Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing a mental illness through public education, community-based research, advocacy, and direct services. Visit www.cmha.bc.ca.
