The Muffled Cry: Psychological Scars of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23472852

Manju and Taruna Gera (Department of Applied Psychology, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar, Haryana)

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a pervading public health issue and human rights concern that have profound sabotaging psychological, behavioral, and interpersonal repercussions on the victim at the time of the abuse and even after many years have passed. This narrative review aims to synthesize pivotal empirical studies and leading review articles published primarily during the era of 90’s, a period that is known for establishing much of the foundational work on the impacts of CSA. This review explores immediate, short-term, and long-term effects of CSA, along with abuse-related factors that influence the severity of symptoms and recovery. Collected evidence invariably indicates that CSA is linked with a wide range of adverse outcomes, including sexualized behaviors, anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress symptoms, somatic complaints, academic difficulties, suicidal ideation, sexual dysfunction, and interpersonal problems extending into adulthood. The literature additionally highlights that factors such as age at onset, relationship to the perpetrator, duration of abuse, and the use of force contribute to wavering outcomes of CSA. Altogether, the evidence highlights the long-lasting psychological burden of CSA and the importance of early identification of abuse to precipitate better intervention for victims.