Every touch with sexual innuendo in childhood leads to spiritual death!
Experts point out that sexual abuse in childhood directly affects the future life of the individual and emphasize the importance of early intervention to the trauma experienced. Emphasizing that every touch with sexual innuendo is sexual abuse, experts warn, "Late intervention means condemning the child to a kind of spiritual death."
Dolores O'Riordan, the powerful voice of the famous Irish rock band Cranberries, died at the age of 46. The artist, who mourned the art world with her death, left behind a tragic life story. It was revealed that she was sexually abused for 4 years from the age of 8 and that she developed anorexia, a kind of eating disorder, to cope with this situation in the following years, and that she suffered from many disorders from bipolar disorder to depression.
Psychiatry Specialist Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu from Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital said that sexual crimes in childhood cause many negative effects on the development of the child.
Every touch with sexual innuendo is sexual abuse
Stating that any touching of the child's body, even jokingly, with sexual connotations is considered as "sexual abuse", Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, "This includes situations where the child is seen to be having fun without understanding that he/she is being abused, because a being whose mental apparatus is not sufficiently developed cannot be expected to consent to sexuality. It is known that sexual abuse is mostly committed by relatives, close acquaintances and professionals related to children. Not believing the testimony of the sexually abused child, accusing the child as if he/she is the perpetrator of the crime, and trying to cover up the issue within the family cause the effects of trauma to grow."
They may become abusers in the future
Stating that sexual abuse as a child can have short and long-term consequences such as depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, low self-esteem, psychosomatic disorders (e.g. pain disorders), sleep disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, sexual dysfunctions, Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, "Delinquency, alcohol-substance abuse and suicide in adulthood are also among the risks. In addition, children of parents who were abused in childhood have more adaptation and behavioral problems than their peers. The most dramatic consequence of being abused in childhood is becoming an abuser, which is usually seen in men. There are studies showing that at least half of sexually abusive adults were abused in childhood."
Development of self-confidence is interrupted
Stating that sexual abuse at a young age will also affect the future life of the individual, Yosmaoğlu said, "Factors such as the frequency of sexual abuse at a young age, its severity, and whether the aggressor is a relative or not can affect future outcomes. The main harm the child suffers from abuse is the interruption of the development of self, trust, sincerity and agency. For this reason, the victim will remain under the influence of his/her interrupted spiritual development at every important crossroads of life, in every important decision he/she will make."
Assist. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu also stated that in the case of domestic sexual harassment, the child will begin complex psychological processes registered with a serious sense of guilt directed towards both the harassing parent and the other parent.
Sexual abuse at the root of blumia and anorexia
"Failure to intervene in the trauma in a timely manner ensures the emergence of chain consequences brought about by the trauma," warned Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu. "It is known that 40-60% of patients with eating disorders such as bulimia and anorexia have been exposed to sexual abuse in childhood. The overwhelming majority of these people are women. In some cases, the patient tries to make her body free from sexual interest by weakening and desexualizing it, while in some cases, the patient internalizes her anger towards men and directs it towards her own body."
Late intervention is to condemn to spiritual death
Psychiatry Specialist Asst. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yosmaoğlu said, "Timely intervention in trauma is of utmost importance in creating the right reactions to the event that the person has experienced, which has damaged his trust in adults and even in his parents, whom he sees as the most important reassuring figure in his life, in not generalizing the psychological effects of this event to other areas of life, and in developing the right personality and self. Late intervention means condemning the child to a kind of spiritual death," he said, pointing out the importance of early intervention.