Adult Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Adult Survivor: An individual who was a victim of sexual abuse during childhood and who is currently 18 or older. The perpetrator of the childhood sexual abuse may have been a relative or caregiver, a non-related peer or adult, a stranger, or any combination of these.
Many adult survivors experience symptoms related to childhood abuse.
Symptoms include:
- Intense fear or anxiety
- Hopelessness
- Avoidance of reminders associated with the trauma
- Nightmares or problems sleeping
- Sense of numbness
- Flashbacks or memory disturbance
- Feelings of detachment
- Irritability/anger
- Easily startled
- Difficulty concentrating
- Difficulty trusting others or in relationships (intimate, colleagues or friends)
- Substance abuse
- Self-harm
- Lack of self-confidence, low self-esteem
- Difficulty saying "no"
- Difficulty completing simple tasks
- Issues around sex
Common Feelings
Many people who have been sexually abused struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, and self-blame. It is important to remember that no matter what the situation, abuse is NEVER the survivor's fault.
Sometimes survivors of childhood sexual abuse feel isolated and alone. They might feel that nobody else understands or be able to relate to their experience.