What I Fear Most Sexually Abused Children Essay

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What I Fear Most "Sexually Abused Children" Angela G. Murray Lindsey Wilson College What I Fear Most "Sexually Abused Children" What I fear most about treating sexually abused children is that I will allow my motherly love of children be my first reaction. I have been a mother since the age of sixteen, and throughout my life I have taken on the responsibility of raising children that weren’t mine biologically, but emotionally felt as if they were. I do not want my love for children to be something that interferes with my ability as a therapist. I understand the difference between empathy and sympathy, but when it comes to children, I feel that the possibility of me confusing sympathy with empathy could be a possibility. Child sexual abuse (CBS) studies …show more content…

Short-term children will usually have an immediate response to a disaster consisting of what Baggerly describes, the five basic realms. The five basic realms are, physically children may complain of stomach/headache, children may lack the ability to pay attention or become easily muddled, emotionally children may become dejected and easily frightened, behaviorally kids might begin wetting their bed, sucking their thumb, become more introverted or become dependent, and lastly children may spiritually question their belief in God (Meyers, 2014). Long term victims can often feel as though their body really doesn’t belong to them after being sexually abused. Sexually abused victims may sometimes be left with feelings of guilt, depression, shame, terror and often feel they are the ones to blame for the assault. Survivors of sexual abuse may often face mental health challenges such as: Anxiety, personality disruptions, attachment disruptions, addiction, anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and experience triggers that often remind them of the assault ("Sexual Abuse/Assault,"

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