Sexual Abuse |
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Childhood sexual abuse is an enormous problem. Estimates are that about 20% of girls and 10% of boys are molested during their childhood. Most often the abusers are family members, relatives, or caregivers, not strangers. This can be very disturbing for children who inherently trust their caregivers. Children often take responsibility for the abuse and find it very difficult to tell an adult about what is going on. Family members may deny that the abuse is happening and thereby perpetuate it. |
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| Children who are abused can develop behavior and emotional problems, school problems, and become prematurely sexually active. The effects of childhood sexual abuse can linger for the rest of the person’s lifetime. Adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse may have depression, poor self-esteem, difficulty with relationships, and sexual problems. | |
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good news is that outpatient psychotherapy can help. There are several
different ways in which traumas such as childhood sexual abuse can be
treated including general supportive psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy
involving discussing what happened in a gradual, manageable way, systematic
desensitization, EMDR, and hypnosis.
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615 Piikoi St. Suite 1109
Honolulu, HI 96814 |