Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse includes any unwanted sexual activity forced upon an individual by another. Sexual abuse isn’t limited to sexual physical contact, but can also include other inappropriate sexual behaviors. Violators can commit acts of sexual abuse using force, threats, or taking advantage of victims who are unable to give consent.

Acts that constitute sexual abuse include:

• Non-consensual, forced physical sexual contact.
• Psychological forms of sexual abuse such as sexual harassment and indecent exposure.
• Exposing children and teens to sexual acts or pornography.
• Invasion of the victim’s privacy for the purpose of sexual gratification.
• Violent acts which harm sexual parts of the body.
• Using derogatory statements that are sexual in nature.

Christian Counseling for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The main goal of Christian counseling for sexual abuse is to facilitate trauma resolution and healing. Understanding your reactions to the abuse and the effects it had on your emotional and physical well-being is very important. The ways you have coped with the abuse might have led to other problems, but they were tools you used to survive. While these behaviors served an important function, they are often harmful in other ways and can limit your ability to live a fulfilling and healthy life.

Christian counseling for sexual abuse can help you:

• Understand the effects of childhood sexual assault and normalize your responses.
• Better understand your own behaviors or emotions related to the abuse.
• Acknowledge your memories in a safe, structured environment at your own pace.
• Process your memories so they no longer control your behavior and emotions.

What to Expect

Christian counseling for sexual abuse during childhood incorporates a variety of therapeutic approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, Lifespan Integration, and trauma-focused therapy. Cognitive therapy will help you break away from negative self-image and other harmful perceptions and replace them with healthy, realistic ideas. Behavioral therapy focuses on enhancing your life through learning how to replace harmful coping mechanisms with new coping skills and strategies. Trauma Christian counseling will show you how to process issues such as post traumatic stress disorder and other dissociative disorders which often result from sexual abuse. Also see Individual Christian Counseling.

Christian Counseling for Adult Survivors of Sexual Assault

Sexual abuse and sexual assault are blanket terms referring to a number of sexual crimes. These crimes include all forms of forced sexual contact with someone who does not or cannot give consent. Living with the aftermath of sexual assault can be debilitating. Many who struggle with these matters tend to live in secrecy and shame. Sadly, only 32% of rapes are reported to the police, and many victims report that they are met with skepticism and blame when they discuss the assault. Repressing what happened to you can lead to many complications for your mental and physical health. If you are a victim of sexual assault, we urge you to get help as soon as possible so you have the support you need to process your traumatic emotions.

Christian counseling for sexual abuse can help you:

• Understand that you are not to blame for the assault.
• Process your emotions and understand your behavioral responses.
• Work through issues of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
• Work through issues related to dissociation and dissociative disorders.
• Regain a sense of normalcy and peace in your life.
• Overcome issues of codependency and other negative relationship patterns.

What to Expect

Christian counseling for sexual abuse can help victims of sexual assault overcome fear, shame, depression, and other consequences of the trauma they experienced. There are many methods for healing after sexual assault such as exposure therapy when the assault causes a specific fear, Lifespan Integration to work through your story and heal your mind and body, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy to help you rewire how you process the abuse, and cognitive behavioral therapy to help you understand how the assault affects your thoughts and behaviors while working towards positive change. Whatever methods your Christian counselor deems best for your unique situation, you can expect an environment that is warm, compassionate, and dedicated to helping you overcome and get back to a healthy, fulfilling life. Also see: Christian counseling for women’s issues, Christian counseling for men’s issues, Christian counseling for relationships, and Christian counseling for codependency.

Christian Counseling for Sexually Abused Children and Teens

Sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence is especially traumatizing. During early, formative years, sexual abuse can have a lasting effect on how a child views and interacts with the world. If you are a parent or caretaker, and you suspect that your child or teen has been victimized sexually, it’s crucial to get help. Facing the emotional damage caused by sexual abuse early will greatly increase your child’s ability to live a fully-functional, healthy, and peaceful life. At Tacoma Christian Counseling, we have skilled, compassionate counselors for children and teens who specialize in Christian counseling for sexual abuse.

Christian counseling for sexual abuse can help your child:

• Communicate their experiences with sexual abuse.
• Process their emotions and understand their responses to the abuse.
• Understand the difference between unhealthy and healthy relationship behaviors.
• Build self-esteem, find security, and learn tools for coping with the trauma in a healthy way.

What to Expect

When counseling children and teens, Christian counseling for sexual abuse can vary. Things such as the age of the child and the circumstances surrounding the abuse will determine the best counseling approach. When seeking a Christian counselor, it’s important to find a professional who is experienced in both counseling for children in the appropriate age range and for issues of sexual abuse. For more information, take a look at our services for Christian counseling for children and Christian counseling for teens. At Tacoma Christian Counseling, you are sure to find the right Christian counseling professional for you, whose primary goal is to form a partnership between counselor, caretaker, the child, and Christ to provide a safety net of healing and support.

Warning Signs for Sexual Abuse in Children and Teens

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 5 girls and 1 in 20 boys is a victim of child sexual abuse. Sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence is frighteningly common. This form of abuse can take many forms including, molestation, incest, indecent exposure, pornography, and human trafficking. The aggressor can include adults or older children and teens. In most cases the abuser is someone known to the child or teen, and the abusers are often very skilled at hiding their acts. The abused are often too scared to ask for help, or are too young to communicate what is happening to them. As parents, it’s important to be careful who you trust to be alone with your children and to recognize behavior signs which might signify sexual abuse.

Signs of sexual abuse in children include:

• Nightmares or sleep disturbances.
• Sudden change in eating habits.
• Sudden mood and behavior changes such as sadness, fear, or withdrawal
• Hints at discussions regarding things which are sexual in nature.
• Fear of particular people or places.
• Playing out sexual scenarios with toys or in drawings.
• Showing adult-like sexual behavior or knowledge.
• Child is given toys or gifts from an adult frequently, without particular reason.

Signs of sexual abuse in teens include:

• Depression and anxiety.
• Self-injury or talk of suicide.
• Sexual promiscuity.
• Sudden changes in eating habits.
• Running away from home.
• Fear of intimacy.
• Drug and alcohol abuse.
• Failure to thrive academically and socially.

The above symptoms are shown in a variety of issues involving things like abuse or trauma. None are conclusive of sexual abuse alone, but if your child shows any of these signs you should seek help. Our versatile team at Tacoma Christian Counseling includes skilled child and teen counselors who specialize in all childhood and adolescent matters including Christian counseling for sexual abuse.

Sexual abuse in relationships, particularly marriage, present many difficulties for the victim. Until fairly recently, the idea of things like marital rape were unheard of. Fortunately, those who experience sexual abuse in marriage are gaining more support, but it can still be very difficult to speak up or to remove yourself from the abusive situation. Any situation in which a person is forced to participate in unwanted sexual activity is abuse. Often times, the aggressor will use things like intimidation, guilt, or coercion in attempts to control you, or force you into sexual acts which make you uncomfortable.
Signs of sexual abuse in relationships include:

• Unwanted touching.
• Forcing sex.
• Forcing you to engage in prostitution or pornography.
• Insisting on sexual acts which frighten you or are against your values.
• Refusal to use safe sex practices.
• Using sex as a means for dominance or control.

If you live or have lived in an abusive relationship, now is the time to act. At Tacoma Christian Counseling, we understand how easy it can be to become trapped in a cycle of abuse. God wants the relationships in your life to build you up, strengthen you, and help you grow. Abuse is never okay. Through Christian counseling for sexual abuse, we can help you break negative patterns, build self-esteem, and learn skills for forming healthy relationships.

Sexual abuse in all forms can have serious effects on the victim. When sexual abuse occurs in childhood, it can have serious and lasting effects on the psychological and physical well being of the victim. Immediate effects include feelings of fear, shame, isolation, betrayal, anger, and flashbacks. Adults who suffered sexual abuse in childhood often carry deep emotional scars, which impact their lives in many ways. Most commonly, those who suffer from sexual abuse experience Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Symptoms of PTSD include:

• Reliving the traumatic event through flashbacks or nightmares.
• Avoiding reminders of the abuse.
• Negative changes in feelings or beliefs.
• Feeling on edge, anxious, or easily startled.

Everyone processes traumas such as sexual abuse in their own way. The intense emotional damage caused by sexual abuse can manifest into a variety of problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-destructive behaviors, relationship struggles, substance abuse, sexual addiction, and more. If you or a loved one is a victim of sexual abuse, it’s important to seek help as soon as possible. Though you might feel alone, God will not abandon you. Let us offer you the support you need through results-driven Christian counseling for sexual abuse.

Christian Counseling for Sexual Abuse Will Help You Recover

In dark times, Christ provides us with the strength we need to carry on. Sometimes it can be nearly impossible to keep faith, especially after living through horrific experiences such as sexual abuse. Christ is the healer of our hearts and souls. Through him, you can find inner peace and healing which you may never have thought possible.

Do men seek counseling for sexual abuse?

Absolutely. Sometimes men are more reluctant to get help for issues involving sexual abuse, but it’s important to realize that male children as well as adult men can be victimized sexually. The traumatic effects of sexual abuse should never go ignored. Christian counseling for sexual abuse will give you the strength, support, and compassion you need to deal with this very difficult matter.

When dealing with sexual abuse is it okay for a woman to counsel a man or a man to counsel a woman?

Yes, this is a matter first and foremost of your preference and comfort. Some women respond better to treatment when being counseled by a man and some men will respond better being counseled by a woman. The confidential and professional Christian counseling environment is one designed to navigate and bring healing into all parts of a person’s story with integrity and compassion even when those parts of a story are extremely intimate and difficult to talk about.

Is Christian counseling for sexual abuse confidential?

Yes. Your Christian counselor has a moral and legal obligation to protect your privacy. Creating an environment of safety and trust is fundamental when counseling for sexual abuse. Only in instances when the counselor feels the client is at risk of harming themselves or others can they break that confidentiality.

How long will I need Christian counseling for sexual abuse?

The duration of your Christian counseling will depend on your unique situation. Each person works through trauma at their own pace. Your counselor will discuss your goals for treatment during your risk-free initial session.

Will I get better?

Living through something as horrific as sexual abuse can make you feel hopeless. Rest assured that many people have struggled with issues like yours and have moved on to live happy lives with healthy relationships and purpose. While that might not offer you much condolence now, our counselors are here to hold that hope for you until you can find it within yourself.

Move from victim to victor with Christian counseling for sexual abuse.

You are very brave for speaking out against the abuse you suffered. At Tacoma Christian Counseling, we are dedicated to helping you find peace and healing during this most difficult time. We understand that the pain you suffered could make you feel forsaken. Know that all things which God brings you through have purpose, and He will bring you out of this darkness. Our hope is to help you find peace, love, and healing through Christian counseling for sexual abuse. We welcome you to schedule your risk-free initial session today. Call us at (253) 777-1997 or contact us online.