Understanding the Mental Health of Child Sexual Abuse Survivors in Real and Reel Life
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55489/njcm.150820244108Keywords:
Child sexual abuse, Mental health, Trauma, Review, Interventions, Literature and filmAbstract
Child sexual abuse is a widespread issue that has social implications for the victims' mental health. The child sexual abuse is a widely spread manifestation of trauma leaving the victims with immense and long-term mental effects. This review paper introduces CSA and how individuals who went through it are psychologically impacted. By looking at a real-world example of how this happens, we get to explore the many struggles and challenges that CSA survivors face, and also highlight the ways in which they manage to cope with the traumatic experiences they have gone through. Furthermore, this review draws attention to both the resonant and possible distortion of CSA in public discourse by contrasting these real-life tales with representations in popular media (reel-life case studies), such as literature and film. This review seeks to delve deep into the minds of CSA victims and acquires information on how their mental health is affected. The synthesis of research findings and personal narratives is to gain more insight into the tragic mental health outcomes of CSA victims and to appreciate the importance of support and intervention in their healing process.
References
Guidelines for medico-legal care for victims of sexual violence [Internet]. [cited 2024 Apr 18]. Available from: https://iris.who.int/bitstream/handle/10665/42788/924154628X.pdf
Lo Iacono L, Trentini C, Carola V. Psychobiological Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse: Current Knowledge and Clinical Implications. Frontiers in Neuroscience. 2021 Dec 2;15. Doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2021.771511 PMid:34924938 PMCid:PMC8678607
Maltz W. Treating the sexual intimacy concerns of sexual abuse survivors. Sexual and Relationship Therapy. 2002 Nov;17(4):321-7. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/1468199021000017173
Nisha. The Indian family: too sacrosanct to touch? Indian women's movement and civil society's responses to incest abuse. Agenda. 2005 Jan 1;19(66):67-73.
Arias I. Report from the CDC. The Legacy of Child Maltreatment: Long-Term Health Consequences for Women. Journal of Women's Health. 2004 Jun;13(5):468-73. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1089/1540999041280990 PMid:15257839
Felitti VJ, Anda RF, Nordenberg D, Williamson DF, Spitz AM, Edwards V, et al. Relationship of Childhood Abuse and Household Dysfunction to Many of the Leading Causes of Death in Adults. American Journal of Preventive Medicine [Internet]. 1998 May;14(4):245-58. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0749-3797(98)00017-8 PMid:9635069
Irish L, Kobayashi I, Delahanty DL. Long-term Physical Health Consequences of Childhood Sexual Abuse: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal of Pediatric Psychology. 2009 Dec 18;35(5):450-61. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsp118 PMid:20022919 PMCid:PMC2910944
Maniglio R. The impact of child sexual abuse on health: A systematic review of reviews. Clinical Psychology Review. 2009 Nov;29(7):647-57. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2009.08.003 PMid:19733950
Fergusson DM, Mullen PE. Childhood Sexual Abuse: An Evidence Based Perspective. UK: SAGE Publications Ltd; 1999. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781452205540
Chaturvedi M. Child Sexual Abuse in India: Alarming statistics, lifelong impact, how to heal [Internet]. India Today. 2023 [cited 2024 Apr 15]. Available from: https://www.indiatoday.in/education-today/featurephilia/story/child-sexual-abuse-in-india-alarming-statistics-lifelong-impact-how-to-heal-2416285-2023-08-04?onetap=true
Neumann DA, Houskamp BM, Pollock VE, Briere J. The Long-Term Sequelae of Childhood Sexual Abuse in Women: A Meta-Analytic Review. Child Maltreatment. 1996 Feb;1(1):6-16. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1177/1077559596001001002
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association; 2000.
Najman JM, Dunne MP, Purdie DM, Boyle FM, Coxeter PD. Sexual Abuse in Childhood and Sexual Dysfunction in Adulthood: An Australian Population-Based Study. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 2005 Oct;34(5):517-26. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-005-6277-6 PMid:16211473
Maity S, Chakraborty PR. Implications of the POCSO Act and determinants of child sexual abuse in India: insights at the state level. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 2023 Jan 3;10(1). Doi: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-022-01469-x
Glasser M, Kolvin I, Campbell D, Glasser A, Leitch I, Farrelly S. Cycle of Child Sexual abuse: Links between Being a Victim and Becoming a Perpetrator. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2001 Dec;179(6):482-94. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.179.6.482 PMid:11731348
Dattani M. Thirty Days in September. UK: Penguin; 2013.
Black MC, Basile KC, Breiding MJ, Smith SG, Walters ML, Merrick MT, et al. The National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey: 2010 Summary Report. Atlanta (GA): National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2011 Nov.
Russell DEH. Secret Trauma: Incest in the lives of Girls and Women. New York: Basic Books; 1986.
Finkelhor D. Sexually Victimized Children. New York: Simon and Schuster; 2010.
Schlesinger B. Sexual Abuse of Children. Toronto: University of Toronto Press; 1984. Doi: https://doi.org/10.3138/9781487579524
Smith H, Israel E. Sibling incest: A study of the dynamics of 25 cases. Child Abuse & Neglect. 1987 Jan;11(1):101-8. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(87)90038-X PMid:3828862
De Jong AR. Sexual interactions among siblings and cousins: Experimentation or exploitation? Child Abuse & Neglect. 1989 Jan;13(2):271-9. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(89)90014-8 PMid:2743184
Cupoli JMichael, Sewell PM. One thousand fifty-nine children with a chief complaint of sexual abuse. Child Abuse & Neglect. 1988 Jan;12(2):151-62. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(88)90023-3 PMid:3260809
Dubé R, Hébert M. Sexual abuse of children under 12 years of age: a review of 511 cases. Child Abuse & Neglect. 1988 Jan;12(3):321-30. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(88)90045-2 PMid:3262402
Gordon L. Incest and Resistance: Patterns of Father-Daughter Incest, 1880-1930. Social Problems. 1986 Apr;33(4):253-67. Doi: https://doi.org/10.2307/800718
Kendall-Tackett KA, Simon AF. Perpetrators and their acts: Data from 365 adults molested as children. Child Abuse & Neglect. 1987 Jan;11(2):237-45. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0145-2134(87)90063-9 PMid:3594284
Russell DEH. Sexual Exploitation: Rape, child sexual abuse, and workplace harassment. 1st ed. Beverly Hills: Sage Publications Inc; 1984.
Jeglic E. The Long-Lasting Consequences of Child Sexual Abuse | Psychology Today [Internet]. www.psychologytoday.com. 2021 [cited 2024 May 8]. Available from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/protecting-children-sexual-abuse/202105/the-long-lasting-consequences-child-sexual-abuse
Taparia P. Trauma from child sexual abuse: Unlocking healing through holistic mental health support. The Times of India [Internet]. 2024 May 2 [cited 2024 May 9]; Available from: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/parenting/moments/trauma-from-child-sexual-abuse-unlocking-healing-through-holistic-mental-health-support/articleshow/109690262.cms
Teicher MH, Samson JA, Polcari A, Andersen SL. Length of Time Between Onset of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Emergence of Depression in a Young Adult Sample. The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2009 Apr 7;70(5):684-91. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.08m04235 PMid:19358787 PMCid:PMC4266432
Jeglic E. How to Cope Following Sexual Abuse | Psychology Today [Internet]. www.psychologytoday.com. 2021 [cited 2024 May 8]. Available from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/protecting-children-sexual-abuse/202109/how-cope-following-sexual-abuse
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Swati Kolla, Srinivasa Nalamari Rao
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
The authors retain the copyright of their article, with first publication rights granted to Medsci Publications.