The primary goal of a parent is to keep their child safe. Unfortunately, a parent can’t always watch over a child every minute of every day. Between the hours a child spends online or at school participating in extracurricular activities, there are a lot of times when their parents are not directly watching over the child. Those isolated moments might be when the child is the most vulnerable to an incident of sexual abuse.
Childhood sexual abuse is defined as any “completed or attempted sexual act, sexual contact or exploitation of a child.” Childhood sexual abuse can induce trauma that can last far into adulthood. When a case of childhood sexual abuse has been uncovered, there are two viable paths for parents to take to help their child.
The first is to hold the abusers accountable. That will include criminal charges and filing a civil complaint to seek justified compensation. The attorneys at the Forbes Law Offices can take on the civil complaint. We are a team of compassionate Charleston child sexual abuse lawyers who offer support and guidance for families looking for a remedy.
The other supportive path is to enroll the child in therapy. When it comes to dealing with this level of trauma, there are many types of therapy that can help survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
The Importance of Sexual Trauma Therapy
The reason why childhood sexual abuse is so traumatic is that the victims often haven’t had the chance to understand what a healthy sexual relationship is supposed to look like. They also don’t have an understanding of how their bodies work and all the physical and emotional changes that occur during intimate acts.
The type of trauma that a child can experience after they’ve been abused can manifest as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which the Mayo Clinic describes as “a mental health condition that’s caused by an extremely stressful or terrifying event — either being part of it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.”
There can also be intense feelings of shame and guilt that a child is incapable of processing.
As a result, they might develop some of the following harmful mental health complications:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Substance use disorders
- Suicidal thoughts
Entering into therapy can help a child at any age come to a better understanding of their feelings and develop coping mechanisms to help them deal with their trauma.
It’s vital that parents talk with their child’s pediatrician and other counselors to help decide which type of therapy would be best. The following are some therapy options to consider:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy has been demonstrated to be an effective form of treatment for victims of sexual abuse. The goal of CBT is to help a patient sort through the thoughts and feelings associated with the abuse incidents and separate them from distorted thoughts.
Through ongoing sessions, patients will develop skills to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. That will help them reduce those feelings of guilt and shame.
Some of the techniques deployed in CBT therapy include the following:
- Cognitive restructuring
- Behavioral activation
- Exposure exercises
Patients can use those techniques daily to build up their resilience. Many studies support the idea that CBT can significantly reduce the symptoms associated with PTSD.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is often associated with CBT but has been specifically designed for adolescents who have been sexually abused. It also provides support for parents to help them process the trauma.
A patient who enrolls in TF-CBT will work through the following three phases:
Stabilization
In stabilization, the child abuse victim and their parents will be given a comprehensive overview of the trauma symptoms and how they will show up in life. This phase will teach the children about emotional regulation, relaxation methods, and how to express their feelings.
The goal is to teach the child how to cope with negative thoughts.
Trauma Narration and Processing
In this phase, patients are guided by their therapist to confront their trauma directly.
By revisiting the details of the assault in a safe space, patients can learn to view those memories without fear. This also helps parents obtain a better understanding of what their children went through. It can be initially painful to relive the incident but ultimately illuminating.
Integration and Consolidation
The final phase of the TF-CBT process is referred to as exposure therapy. In this phase, patients work with their therapists to integrate all the skills they’ve learned into their daily lives.
They also develop future safety plans to avoid further instances of abuse. Parents can be brought in during these sessions so everyone understands how to deploy these newly learned coping strategies.
Getting the Right Help
Parents often feel helpless when they are confronted with the trauma of sexual abuse.
The abuse can impact how the child will perform in school and what their future relationships will look like. That is why everyone in the family needs to participate in the healing process.
As you look for the best therapist for your child, you’ll want to take advantage of all the available resources, like those at the Charleston Area Medical Center.
You’ll also want to talk with the Forbes Law Offices to explore all your legal options concerning a civil complaint that will compel the abusers to provide a remedy. You don’t have to go through this alone.
