The Innocence Mission: What Are The Effects?

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

Child sexual abuse affects us all - as adults begin to disclose their childhood histories we can correlate the effects to earlier abuse. Victims of abuse are more likely to suffer adverse effects of the trauma including:

Physical and Mental Health Problems

  • PTSD (4,5,9,13)
  • Major Depressive Disorders (9,13)
  • Eating disorders in adolescent females (5,8,15)
  • Headaches

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

  • 70-80% of victims report excessive drug and alcohol use. (4,5,15)
  • Sexual Health Problems (7,10,11,12)
  • Victims of child sexual abuse are more likely to be sexually promiscuous than non-victims.

Revictimization

  • The victim grows up to become a perpetrator themselves, continuing the vicious cycle.

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