CSA survivor and an author, Denise Shellyann Clarke took the courageous step to share the story of her abuse in her book, My Protector Was My Molester 978-1-951630-57-7. After suffering for a long while in silence, Clarke wanted to speak on the sexual abuse she had faced by her father at a young age that escalated as she grew older. She writes about all her struggles in life and how she coped with them. With this book, Clarke aims to help other survivors feel less isolated. She wants to let them know that they are heard and not responsible for what they endured in childhood.
Childhood Sexual Abuse can have a major impact on the development and growth of a child’s mind. Some effects are short term and many others are long term that eventually shows up in adulthood. If the child is treated immediately after the discovery of abuse, there are greater chances of reversing the impact to a certain point. There are many psychological effects a CSA survivor might suffer, such as the feeling of helplessness, fear, isolation, shame, and guilt. It is important to remind survivors that they are never at fault or responsible for what they have suffered through. Many CSA survivors suffer from the post-traumatic stress disorder. According to the South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault, here is a look into PTSD and its symptoms:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is used by psychologists and psychiatrists as a framework for the treatment of sexually abused children. It is valuable in identifying the existence of specific behaviors that should be addressed in therapy. PTSD describes symptoms that are characteristic in many cases of sexual abuse but it is important to note that it does not apply to all sexually abused children. PTSD can sometimes appear many years after the original event. A diagnosis of PTSD is often used in court reports e.g. for applications for Criminal Injuries Compensation. The criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD are:
· The person has experienced an event that is outside the range of usual human experience and that would be markedly distressing to almost anyone.
· The re-experiencing of the trauma in at least one of the following ways:
1. Recurrent and intrusive recollections of the event.
2. Recurrent distressing dreams of the event.
3. Sudden acting or feeling as if the event were recurring e.g. "flashback" episodes, hallucinations, illusions.
4. Intense psychological distress at exposure to events that symbolize or resemble an aspect of the traumatic event.
· A numbing of responsiveness or reduced involvement in the external world sometime after the trauma, indicated by:
1. Diminished interest in activities and/or
2. Feelings of detachment or estrangement from others and/or
3. Constricted affect e.g. unable to have loving feelings or to feel anger.
· In addition, at least two of the following sets of symptoms must be present:
1. Hyper alertness or being easily startled.
2. Sleep problems.
3. Guilt about surviving or behavior required to survive.
4. Problems with memory or concentration.
5. Avoidance of activities that arouse recollection.
6. Intensification of symptoms if events symbolize or resemble the traumatic event.
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