Human Sexual
How to Successfully Assist A Sexually Abused Child
Discovering that their child had been sexually abused is very difficult for parents; it’s the kind of suffering that alters the family either for the good or for the worse. Predators are constantly on the stalk, seeking new targets to terrorize, and most of them are very good at what they do. As humanistic therapy devotee would verbalize, it would do nobody any good to further inflict damage on the family; parents’ roles in particular are very unique and important in helping the children cope with such a traumatic event. Humanistic Sandtray Therapy can help people reconnect to who they really are.
Sexually abused children frequently display precociousness about sex that is not very usual among children their age. Some children act out sexually uninhibited parts or may have a fascination about touching their private parts or other children’s private parts during play; this is something that can be seen also in play therapy. Sexually abused children don’t usually confide the abuse to adults because of the fright that they feel towards their abuser. Per se, you should be very sensitive to the signs that your child may have been sexually abused and is holding back the trauma.
At times it may be very hard for you to understand why you should put up a battle continually when it’s just human to feel discouraged and helpless. It is very unlikely for children to display such behavior unless they have been exposed to it somewhat. Children who have been exposed to sexually overt films, photos, or reading materials against their will can also be considered as victims of abuse. That being said, here are a few pointers to help you deal with an abused child:
- Get your child some counseling immediately; don’t wait for your child to recover by himself or herself. Some parents who are not taking good care of the trauma themselves have the erroneous idea that children will get better if they don’t talk about what had transpired. In rehabilitation, your child will make better sense of what had happened to him or her, and you might also be able to understand what you can do to help.
- Gradually, convince your child to rediscover the things that he or she used to love doing. Don’t encourage your child to worry about, which isn’t to say that you will not teach your child how to be vigilant. Fear is the prevalence of maltreatment, and the less fear you put in your child’s heart, the easier it will be for your child to deal with the pain of being sexually abused.
- Be supportive of your child’s therapy by making your attendance and involvement felt. You can do this by talking to your family members about what they can do to help, and what they shouldn’t do on top.
- Your child needs your support now above all; it would be valuable if you expressed this in words and actions.
- Go out of your way to make your child believe more protected, thus rebuilding his or her poise to go out and face the world again.
Your child’s safety does not just imply physical safety from sexual predators but it also means being given the right kind of help to be able to rise above this inopportune painful event.