While doing research I came across a few articles that spoke about child sexual abuse. One spoke about the life long implications and risks that have been linked and associated with victims of sexual abuse. Some examples are substance abuse, suicide, slowed brain development, and chronic pain. (Bustamante et al., 2019). In another article I found it interesting that victims of sexual abuse can present with Alexithymia, is a cognitive disorder defined as the inability to express or identify with ones emotions. It is used a defense mechanism to avoid negative feelings. Alexithymia is shown to have a relationship with childhood traumas. (Boisjoli and Hebert, 2020).
Resources
Boisjoli, C., Hebert, M. (2020). Importance of telling the unutterable: Alexithymia among sexually abused children. Psychiatry Research, 291, 11328. Retrieved from https://www-sciencedirect-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S016517812030295X
Bustamante, G., Andrade, M. S., Mikesell, C., Cullen, C., Endara, P., Burneo, V., Yépez, P., Avila Saavedra, S., Ponce, P., & Grunauer, M. (2019). “I have the right to feel safe”: Evaluation of a school-based child sexual abuse prevention program in Ecuador. Child Abuse & Neglect, 91, 31–40. Retrieved from https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2019.02.009